Finally Us
by inexplainable
Summary: It's been five years since Austin & Ally has ended and Ross Lynch is just ending a four year, never ending world tour with R5. Finally getting enough rest, he heads back into acting and scores a sought after role by almost everyone. Little does he know that Laura Marano was just cast as his leading lady again. Will they still stay just friends after falling in love on screen again?
1. one

Everyone has secrets. His just happened to be that he hasn't kept in touch with any of his closest friends in years and that immediately made him a horrible friend. There were calls and texts and they went unanswered because after a three hour concert for eight months straight around the world, combined with jet lag and mixing in practice and soundcheck, the little sight-seeing and interviews and press, he was just exhausted. For the past three weeks, he felt like all he'd done was sleep. And it was the best thing he'd ever experienced in his life.

He liked not having to wake up at ungodly hours for a flight somewhere; he loved it even more when he woke up to his mother cooking something heavenly for his stomach.

At 24, Ross Lynch was now, officially, a household name. Posters of his face lined young girls' walls, his autograph on any kind of piece of paper was sold for amounts he couldn't and wouldn't even pay for, and he was hailed as the next Channing Tatum...whatever that meant. R5 was right in the boat with him. Riker was getting back into acting, Rocky was writing and playing for rock stars that Ross was envious of, Rydel was studying her ass off for a degree that he admired her for and Ratliff was, well, Ratliff and was being awesome at everything.

Finally rolling out of bed, it was the first day that he got up before noon and it felt weird. There was no smell of breakfast or even any commotion that he could hear downstairs. Peaking out of the door to the hallway, he smirked to himself. He had done it; on his own - he got up before the alarm clock and before anyone else. He needed to put that on the calendar to commemorate it. A shower woke him up and drinking half of the orange juice in the fridge got him even more ready for the day ahead of him - a day of auditions.

After arriving home from their (insanely) long world tour - the fans kept asking for more dates and cities, so R5 gave it to them - and after nearly three weeks of rest, he was now getting back into the acting game like Riker. His agent had lined up a string of auditions for today and he only prayed that the LA traffic would be kind to him. Grabbing a few extra granola bars for the road, Ross picked up the keys and his phone with his schedule and headed for the door. Next stop: waiting room hell.

* * *

><p>Two hours. He had two hours to get to the other side of town for a last minute audition his agent just called him about during rush hour - which let's face it, was all damn day in Los Angeles. The funny thing about this though was that "across town" meant two blocks and it would still take him at least an hour to get to it, if not longer.<p>

Looking down at the sides once again, Ross questioned if this role would even be worth auditioning for. It wasn't a hard hitting role like he had told his agent he wanted. It wasn't even a character who had a name. It was just a role that could, emphasis on could, turn into a recurring gig. He wasn't looking for recurring. He was looking for a guest spot or a movie. Getting up and approaching the call desk, he asked about how much longer and explained his situation. He knew this was a steady show and it could be a good thing for him, but he reminded himself about the other 15 people sitting around him, dressed just like him, and decided that this really wasn't for him. It was for one of them. As the assistant crossed his name off the list (where he was actually next) and radioed in the update to producers, Ross bolted from the room and raced to his car to get to the next one. The one that he knew nothing about and hoped and prayed it was worth it. The only description he got from his agent was that it was a movie about "disappearing people".

Waving to security on his way out, sunglasses were on and rock music blasting, Ross raced the two blocks to the audition and as if luck was actually on his side for this role, was there in twenty minutes.

"Thank you LA," he muttered to himself, walking across the studio grounds to stage five instead of a blank and stale green room where he was used to auditions being held in. These studios weren't part of his old stomping grounds, but he loved them just the same. Streets of New York passed by him and him, in his leather jacket, looked like he actually belonged there. Maybe for real one day.

Checking his watch, Ross was impressed. It was like time and fate finally got along for him and got him there not only in twenty minutes time but at least a half hour before his audition. It was almost perfect. Nodding to passersby and double checking the stage number, he took a deep breath and headed inside.

"Hi, Ross Lynch," he told the assistant at the table and looked around for any other sign of actors auditioning for the day.

"Welcome Mr. Lynch. They're almost ready. Here are your sides. You'll be reading with the director today."

"No other cast members?"

"No. They haven't been cast yet. Everything about this movie is being held inside a vault inside another vault inside another one. Even though I'm still just an assistant, I don't even know the actual summary for the film. I don't even think the producers do."

"Wow. Super secret," Ross smirked and started to look through the sides.

"Do you want any water?"

"I'm good...actually, yea. If you don't mind."

"It's my job. Be right back," the assistant said and hurried off to wherever craft services were.

The sides weren't long and the assistant was right, not even the scene he held in his hand gave away anything about the real plot. All he knew was that he would be reading for the part of Rory, as indicated on the stop of the pages. He had to wonder and hope that this Rory was a guy. Skimming the lines over again, he had to admit that he was definitely intrigued.

"Here you go," the assistant came back with the water and Ross nodded in thanks.

_Rory furrows his brow, rising up against the advisor._

_Rory: It's been five months since you told us that. Why are we still here?_

_Advisor: You're here for a reason._

_Rory: What reason? You've given us nothing to answer any of our questions!_

_Rory is angry and raises his voice, pacing between the Advisor and his friends from the Ten._

_Advisor: You are free to leave. We have no hold on you._

_Rory: Are you kidding me?_

_Advisor: You've always had the option of leaving us. We can not keep you against your will._

_Rory: You've kept us against our will for 6 months. You kidnapped us from our timelines, from our families, from our lives with no reason, and no explanation. We've been sitting around here waiting for you to give us orders on something because you implied we were all here for something. Something big and something life changing. [He brushes his hair back, frustrated and looks back to GIRL]._

_Rory: Now, you're telling me, telling all of us that we're not here for anything?_

_Advisor: Yes._

_[Rory lunges at the Advisor, not caring for his actions. He wants answers]_

Ross blinked at the end of the page. _A fight, yes! _He had no clue what this movie was about and even if he screwed this audition up, which he wouldn't, he wanted to do something with this movie. A song, an endorsement, a screening, something. It was interesting and the plot, cast and everything else being under more locks and keys than Star Wars was giving him a feeling it was going to be insanely good.

"Mr. Lynch," the assistant got his attention once again. "They're ready for you."

"Thanks," he got up to go inside the stage and once inside, was truly surprised once again on how it wasn't a stale room. Decked out in Christmas decorations that he assumed were for another movie or television series, his eyes scattered before landing on just three people in the room - the director, and two others.

"Hi Ross, I'm..."

"Stevenson Long," Ross completed his sentence for him. "Sorry. I'm a big fan. It's great to meet you."

"Great to meet you as well. I feel I could sing your whole album," the director admitted to him. "My daughter has not stopped playing it since it came out. I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I'm kind of ready for an hour without an R5 song."

Ross laughed at his confession. "Sometimes, I feel the same way, sir."

"This is Patricia, our producer and Ryan, our casting director. As a team, we'll be making all the final cast decisions. Are you ready?"

"Yes, I'm ready."

Stevenson smiled, his glasses coming down from his forehead to his nose. "Let's get started."

* * *

><p>"You guys, I got it!" Riker bursted into his parents home, jumping on the coffee table and blocked the view to the television from his youngest brother, Ryland's view.<p>

"You got what?" Ryland asked with Stormie, Mark and Rocky peering in from the kitchen.

"Putzie! I got Putzie. I'm going to be in _Grease_!" Riker started dancing on the coffee table, not really caring if he would break it. It's not like they couldn't afford to replace it.

"Should I expect a 'Grease Lightning' performance in the next few minutes?"

"No, but you could be a little more excited for me, Ry."

"Sure. Give me ten minutes when this show is done," he tilted his head and continued his show as Riker got down from the table and wandered into the kitchen.

"I, for one, am happy for you, Riker," Stormie gave her oldest son a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks Mom," he grabbed a slice of cucumber she was cutting for a salad and munched on it. "I'm really excited about it. I know people don't want a remake or anything, but the cast is kind of phenomenal. I mean, we've got Joey Pollari as Danny and Elizabeth Olsen as Marty. And Ross is going to flip when he finds out that Sofia is going to be my Jan."

"Sofia? Sofia Carson?" Rocky asked and Riker nodded. "Oh, he's going to flip alright. He'd flip even more if it was Raini."

"Who's Sandy?" Mark inquired.

"She's being announced tomorrow. But she's amazing too. I actually wished I got Danny all because of her."

"But you still got Sofia."

"Yes," Riker smiled, putting a hand to his heart. "I got Sofia."

The family talked for a bit about Riker's new role, which Ryland joined in on, still wanting a performance of "Grease Lightning" just to annoy him, before Ross joined them again. Rydel, as a college student, was staying on campus more and crashing with friends rather than make the trip over to the valley each and every day. It saved her time and money in the long run.

As they sat down to dinner, which consisted of leftovers from the fridge and a yummy salad thrown together with even less cucumber slices than normal, the talk never died down. Not a rarity in the Lynch family, but today it was more about acting, new roles and new ventures. It wasn't about new R5 music - and when Ross told them about the story Stevenson Long told him, they all had a good laugh.

"When do you think you'll hear anything?"

"I honestly have no clue," Ross admitted when his dad asked him about his audition for the unnamed movie. "They have everything so locked down and it's all speculative. But the other audition I had earlier in the morning, I'll know by next week."

"I'm proud of you boys," Stormie confessed. "Doing things that are just amazing. So proud."

Riker gave her a kiss to her forehead. "We love you too, Mom."


	2. two

He thought he knew how to run. One foot in front of the other, a bit faster than walking from point A to point B. By now, after countless music videos with him running towards a girl, away from the law, sideways into a pool, he should have this running game down and memorized. Running away from fake terrorists along with Chris O'Donnell for his guest role on _NCIS:LA _has schooled him in running.

"Cut!" the director called and Ross collapsed onto the sandy beach where they were filming for the day. "Run it one more time!"

Ross lifted his head and groaned at the announcement. "You've got to be kidding me."

"You get used to it, kid," Chris laughed at his exhausted state and offered him a hand to get him back on his feet. "After this week, you'll be in the best shape of your life. Ask Eric."

"I know running. Running is supposed to be easy. How," Ross took a deep breath, trying to settle his heart rate. "How are you able to do this day after day."

"Like I said, you get used to it."

They walked back down to the end of the boardwalk, with the fake terrorists by their side. He had been right. His first audition of that fateful day, which he liked to refer to as the 'Ross Conquers LA Traffic' Day, was for this show and he was ecstatic when they called him back for the role and he booked it. Much like Riker had jumped on the coffee table, Ross had jumped on top of his car and started dancing about it.

"Okay, everyone. One more time. One last run," the director announced and Chris patted his back. "Ross, can you make sure you stumble just a bit so Chris can save your ass in this scene? It's in the script, man."

Saluting as a confirmation, the makeup team stepped back and he was ready to bolt once again.

"And, action!"

"Keep up kid!" Chris ran his lines perfectly, the stunt actors close behind them.

"If I was any faster, I'd be the Flash, G."

"That would help actually," Chris recited his lines just as Ross stumbled on the block of concrete sticking out from the boardwalk. "Damn it."

The scene continued on, line after line, cameras following them along for the ride, and fake gun shots going off. This scene was honestly, one of the coolest he had even been a part of. It even topped the one from yesterday when his character, a Tom of some sort, had snuck into a CIA headquarters set on the sound stage as part of his storyline and the episode. He'd always wanted to be a super secret agent one day. Bucket list check.

Twenty minutes later, when the director yelled cut again, Ross was back on the sand. Still out of breath and not reaching for anyone's hand just yet, he felt the buzzing in his back pocket. A groan escaped his lips and he shifted himself to pull it out.

"Ross. Call me ASAP. Movie news!" his agent texted to his phone.

"Ok, kids. Take a break. We're coming back in 10 for Sam, G, and Tom's scene with Kensi," the director once again called and it gave him the opportunity to return the call before his agent went ballistic on him. The phone didn't even ring once before his agent picked up.

"That was the quickest pick up in history," Ross commented, picking himself up from the sand.

"Ross! Thank God you called back. You got it, you got the role!" Stella told him outright, not stringing him along for anything.

"What role?"

"The super secret movie, Ross. You're Rory!"

"You're shitting me."

"No, I'm not. Ryan Andrews, the casting director just called me. The role is yours."

"Holy crap. I didn't think I would get it."

"You did. Congrats, Ross."

"Thanks. I'm insane crapping my pants about this."

"There's a catch though. You can not tell anyone. Not even your family."

"Wait, what? Now you're shitting me."

"Not shitting you. This is an insanely super secret movie. The plot, the cast, even the other cast members don't know the other cast members. They're announcing the full cast and movie plot at a conference in a week. I will send you all the information, actually...I'll messenger it to you. Email can be hacked. I'm typing it up right now."

"Hacked? This movie is so maniacal and I love it," Ross told Stella, picking up a few grapes from the craft services table before heading back out into the sun. "Are you sending it to my house?"

"No, the set. I know your mom, Ross. She'll tear into it. I don't blame her one bit, but the studio is paranoid about anything getting out."

"Got it. Thanks Stella."

"Anytime. I'll talk to you later."

Hanging up the phone, Ross let his goofy smile engulf his face. That goofy smile that, if young fans were around him would say that he only got when Austin Moon was around Ally Dawson. Resisting the urge to yell out in triumph, he got back to the sand and Chris and LL Cool J immediately knew something was up.

"You're acting weird," Chris commented.

"How so?"

"I don't know...just weird. Quit that and get back to the annoying Tom that's in the script."

"On it."

* * *

><p>Ross glanced at the schedule in his hands while at a red light on his way home for the day. There was a plot. In his hands. And a character description. And he couldn't be more excited. During the initial audition, while he was hoping to get the role, he was also real worried about it too. Without any information about the project, there was always a chance that it would be a big cheesy mess and he definitely wanted to stray away from that. Hell, he didn't do cheesy anymore. At 24, he was as far away from cheesy as he could possibly get...within reason, of course. Sometimes, a good romance role did come up and if there was ever a chance for him to portray Romeo, he'd be first in line and taking out any other actor who got in his way for it.<p>

The project was tentatively called _Ten_ and he could be playing Dr. Rordan "Rory" McLaren, a holistic doctor who treats the untreatable. _Ten _centered on, as you could tell, ten people who mysteriously disappeared from the Earth. No paper trails, no evidence of foul play, no bodies - they just disappeared and when they do wake, they're still on Earth, but in a far different world than they remembered.

A beep from behind him made him pay attention once again to the road, moving his car into the vacant centimeter the car ahead of him had occupied. Rolling his eyes at the driver behind him, Ross got back to the schedule. It was a weird schedule. No talking, or hinting about the project to anyone. At noon on Friday next week, the cast would be announced to the world and after that, they were on social media lockdown as well. If the cast were questioned about it outside of the conference, they couldn't. The week after that, he would be on one more plane to South Africa, where they would be filming for about four months. He sure hell hoped that he liked his cast mates...or at least just one. Crap, shots. He would have to get shots again, and the malaria pills were not something he was looking forward to.

Driving past his exit and heading to the next (he didn't miss it, this exit was just easier), Ross placed the packet of papers on the passenger seat and drove home. As soon as he walked through his door, his mom would be on him about the papers, among the other questions about how work was today.

"Besides running my weight in the hot sun and wearing leather all over, it was fine," he muttered to himself, just a right turn away from the house. He really wanted to tell his mom about the role. Really, really wanted to.

* * *

><p>"And that's a wrap," Daniel Warton, director of the highly-acclaimed <em>First Aid <em>mini-series called out. "Woohoo!"

Younger than you would expect most directors to be, Laura Marano smirked as he wooed and high-fived his way around the crew and cast as the last scene finally wrapped. She had worked for two seasons on the limited series and was sad to see it end. Playing the role of Jennifer Sutton, a seamstress in a small Georgia town, who finds her family in the midst of a modern day war, she had made lifelong friends and it would be hard to not come to work tomorrow as the southern belle. When Daniel came to her, she high-fived him right back, hearing the slap and feeling the burn on her palm.

"Remember people, unofficial wrap party at my restaurant tonight!" actor Freddie Stroma announced over Daniel's celebration. Even though he was the dreamiest Briton Laura had encountered, a terrific actor, and smart beyond words (almost brain surgeon!), she knew food was his true passion. Even though nobody knew that it was his, or about it in general, she was convinced that the food there was from heaven. In part, she was kind of glad no one knew about it, just so she could sneak off there and eat double her weight in the yummy concoctions that she could only dream of before. "You're coming right?" he turned to her.

"You know I wouldn't miss it," Laura hugged him tight. "Plus, you owe me a glass of red."

"I do, don't I?"

Laura smiled big as Daniel came back to the duo, who brought Jennifer and her sometimes lover Lamont to life on the show.

"You too," Freddie insisted of the director.

"I shall be there, with bells and whistles on."

"I do not doubt that," Laura told him before her phone went off ringing a track from Bye Bye Birdie. Looking back up at the guys in front of her, she blushed. "Don't judge me. I will never get over how perfect Hugo was."

Laura turned away and started to walk into a quieter part of the set to see what the call was about. "Hi Chris," she greeted her agent.

"Laura!" Chris answered back in an excited way that Laura had never heard before. Not even when she booked _First Aid_ was Chris this excited. "Are you sitting down?"

"No."

"Well, do it."

"Chris, just tell me."

"You remember that mysterious movie audition that I told you you shouldn't even go on because there was no plot or anything sent to us but you insisted on going because you weren't above auditioning which..."

"Chris!"

"You got the role, Laura. You'll be playing Magellan Snow in this movie."

"What? I got it?! Oh my God!" Now it was Laura's turn to be excited. She jumped up and down in the hallway, taking the phone away from her ear to do a little dance. "I'm so excited!"

"I can tell. Anyhow, the whole project is still clouded in this shroud of mystery and I'll have you know, I'm still skeptical, but I know you're happy about it, so I am too. Thing is that you still can't say anything about the project. To anyone."

Laura was silent on the other end, waiting for Chris's usual warning.

"Not even Vanessa," there it was. "You were waiting for that, weren't you?"

"Every time," she told him.

"Seriously, you can't. The cast and plot are being announced at a press conference next Friday and I'm sending you all the information by messenger, because yes, shroud of mystery. It'll be at your place later tonight."

"Do you know what time? I have that wrap party at Freddie's restaurant."

"Should be within one, two hours."

"Great, than I will be there. Thanks Chris."

"Anytime babe. Talk to you soon."

"Bye," Laura hung up her phone, heading straight to Twitter to post something witty but was blocked by a text from Chris.

_No Social Media!_

Crap.

* * *

><p>"How does it always end up being you and me with the last bottle of wine?" Freddie asked her, leaning back in a booth in the middle of the restaurant as the rest of the crew and cast mingled with each other before calling it a night.<p>

"I actually think you hide the last bottle of wine for just these sorts of things."

"You may be on to something," he winked at her, lifting the bottle. "Can I fill you up?"

"Just a little. I still have to drive home."

"You didn't Uber?"

"No. I'm perfectly capable of driving myself to and from places."

"Also helps that you don't drink like...well, like the rest of us," he motioned to their HBO family who weren't drop dead drunk, but still tipsy beyond the normal. "Have to admit, I admire that."

"Thanks Freddie," she clinked her glass against his and brought it to her lips.

"So, Jennifer," he referred to her as her character. "Any new projects coming up for you?"

Laura stopped drinking then. Looking over at him, she knew she couldn't tell him anything, but she really wanted to. Really, really, really wanted to. She couldn't tell Vanessa, but maybe she could tell him...but then Chris and her mom, and her manager and her publicist would be livid. She could just imagine it - even before the conference, she would be fired by the first director she'd really wanted to work with. Nope, not saying anything.

"I have a couple of prospects," she told him, which wasn't a complete lie. She did have prospects...which included a cryptic movie that may or may not have a plot. "What about you?"

"I'm actually headed home to England for a while. I have a stint on stage in a Panto."

"I love Pantos. Which play?"

"You're going to laugh at it."

"Which you know is the best part of me."

"True," Freddie took a drink of his wine before telling her. "It's _Snow White_."

Laura couldn't help it. She couldn't help it, a little laugh escaped her mouth and her eyes when he told her. "I love Snow White. Are you going to be The Prince?"

"No, not the Prince. I think I've had enough of playing a prince," he admitted.

Which was technically true, as Laura thought of it. After playing a pseudo prince in one of the Cinderella Story movies, he moved on to another prince in a new fairy tale movie event, and then another in a special adaption of a book. Then there was Cinderella's prince for a holiday special. She was almost convinced that Freddie could actually be a prince for real since he'd played so many of them on the screen and stage.

"I'm one of the main guards and it's honestly, a better role than The Prince. We get to go out to the audience and order them to do things."

"Best part of the Panto."

"You know it," he lifted his glass again, emptying the clear vessel of it's contents. "Tell me about these prospects you speak of."

"Well," Laura got comfy on the seat of the booth and just as she was about to speak, their co-star Cassandra Leung slipped in and stole the last bottle from Freddie's hand, not bothering with a glass and drinking it from the bottle.

"You two need to come and dance with us. It's boring without Laura's dancing."

Freddie snorted at the comment.

"Hey!"

"She's not wrong," he told her and grabbed her hand, pulling her to the outside patio where not many people remained, but the good ones were still around. Heading straight into the crowd, there was no way she was escaping. So she danced, and danced, and danced the night away.

* * *

><p>Thursday. 10 a.m.<p>

Coffee cups were spread around the conference table and he swore he wasn't going to go to sleep for the next five years. He insisted that he needed coffee when he arrived at Stella's office at 7 a.m. and was bombarded with way too much in return. But he had drank all of it and it was the sole reason his leg was twitching, not because he had to use the restroom or because he was nervous about the movie. Okay, maybe it was a bit about the restroom, but he wanted to get through signing all the contracts and going through the fine print before he turned 50 and before Rydel's class let out so he could meet her for lunch.

"And this one, on this page. Initial, date, sign," Stella's assistant, Stephanie, told him. "This contract basically gets you the money promised."

Ross nodded, filling out his name with ease and waited for the next.

"Same as before, on...this page and this page," she flipped between the front and the back of the stapled papers. "This one is all about South Africa and rules and such. This one you will have to read through again though. It basically tells you there's no family visiting for about four months, and if there is, they have to be cleared by the studio and know all the details."

Ross stared back at her before signing this one. "What? It's like I'm being tracked."

"Pretty much."

"Can I really read this one before I sign it and bring it to you tomorrow?"

"Yea, you can do that. But we need it before the conference tomorrow. If the studio doesn't have it, they won't announce you."

He furrowed his brow, his mouth lopsided.

"I know. I'm just as confused."

* * *

><p>Laura signed all the contracts with ease, not worrying about what the contracts actually said. She had done this before - college, super secret roles, not seeing family for weeks or months at a time. She knew that the whole cast would have their own assistants on the set and that was good enough for her. Sure, she'd definitely miss her sister and her parents, but as an actress they all knew the strains and challenges. She knew that this movie was worth it.<p>

"Done," she slid the contract back over to Chris and raised up her arm in achievement. "Please tell me that's a record in signing a bajillion contracts."

"I don't think it's ever been measured, doll," Chris smirked at her, double checking and making sure everything was signed, dated and delivered.

"It should be. We should start now."

"You want a plaque?"

"Nah, nothing too fancy. Maybe a blue ribbon?"

"I'll get right on that," Chris told her, stacking up the contracts and passing them along to another agent who was in the room with them. "So, tomorrow. I need you at the hotel at 6. Your glam team will already be there with clothes and everything. Honestly, if you came in your pajamas, I would not even care."

"I would," Laura said. "I'm pretty sure the hotel staff would be giving me weird looks and..."

"Go with something comfy. Nothing too dressy. It's just an arrival and no one will be there at 6 besides you, me, your glam and your publicist and well, yea, no pajamas. Comfy, though, okay? Make me look like a model at 6 a.m."

"Got it."

"Do that and maybe you'll get that ribbon."


	3. three

The hotel was nice. He hadn't been there in ages, not since a few years ago when Disney treated the _Austin & Ally_ crew to a night he really wouldn't forget. It was one of the last times he saw and hung out with Laura, Raini and Calum. Damn, he missed those guys. Maybe, when the four months is up again, he'd call them. No, he had to call them. Just thinking about them now it was killing him. Hell, he'd seen Calum tweet earlier in the day that he was at Disney studios. Maybe he would surprise him later today.

Turning back and heading backstage from the conference room, Ross headed towards the food table and grabbed some apple slices. The crisp sound and flavor made the 6 a.m. call time a bit easier.

"You ready for this?" Milo Ventimiglia came up beside Ross, stealing the apples, grapes and whatever else he could stuff in his mouth before everyone else showed up to empty the table.

"The conference or the future of our early morning call times?"

"Good point. I'm Milo. You're Ross," he stuck his hand out to shake and Ross gladly took it.

"Great to meet ya."

"Which role you get?"

"Rory McLaren."

"Nice. I'm playing Ridayh. He's this cool, zen guy, who hates all of you."

"You stole the good role, didn't you?"

"You bet," Milo joked, turning around as others started to come backstage. The others including Gale Harold, Laura Benanti, Beth Riesgraf, and Mark Valley, as well as the director.

"How am I here?" Ross said, barely above a whisper as he was introduced to all of them. He was trying to let go of Gale's hand, but it just wasn't happening. "Sorry, sorry. Just trying to comprehend that I'll be in a movie with you."

Gale laughed, "I like you kid."

"My mom had an obsession with _Desperate Housewives_ and I know that's probably not the project you want me to quote you from, but I got hooked."

"Never have shame about anything kid," Gale put his arm around Ross's shoulders as even more people came in. "That was a great gig."

Ross chatted with his new co-stars, before talking with Mark, not noticing the new additions to the backstage area. Grabbing one last apple slice, he put it in his mouth and turned around, almost choking on it. He was not expecting to see her there, but he was glad.

* * *

><p>Dress on, hair done, makeup in all the right places. Checking her teeth one more time, Laura turned around again, double checking her appearance for the thousandth time.<p>

"You guys are miracle workers," Laura turned around, giving hugs to her glam team for their amazing skills. Wearing a pretty purple dress with the coolest caged heels, diamond earrings sparkled from her lobes and rings layered her fingers. Her hair, shorter and layered now, was straight as a needle and she could not stop running her fingers through it.

"You make it easy Laura," Heather, her hairstylist said.

"I know, it feels so good," she flipped it around because she could.

"Okay, okay. It's almost 7:30, we needed to be backstage at 7. So, hop to it," Chris and Mona, her publicist rushed her out the door.

They practically ran to the elevator and couldn't stop pressing the lobby button.

"You two are jumpy today," Laura commented.

"Mysterious shroud of a movie is about to be revealed and we're kind of wanting to know everything sooner than later," Chris told her, the doors sliding open in the nick of time.

Laura felt her wrist being latched onto and being run into someone else. "Oh, I am so sorry."

"It's alright," the English accented girl told her. "I'm being rushed myself."

"You're Jenna Coleman," Laura recognized. "I'm Laura Marano. It's great to meet you. I have a thing for _Doctor Who._"

"Oh, you're so sweet. Please tell me you're a part of this Ten movie," Jenna grabbed onto Laura's hands.

"Yes, I am!"

"Oh, this is brilliant. I'm extremely nervous and I'm glad we ran into each other before hand."

Laura was so glad she had said that. It was good to know that she wasn't the only one who was nervous. "Who do you play?"

"Sarah Harrington. Please tell me you play Magellan." Laura nodded and a squeal escaped Jenna's mouth. "Oh, thank God. I auditioned with her lines and since you said you're in this too, I could only picture you as her."

"Do you know about anyone else?"

"No. I'm excited to find out," Jenna said just as Eion Bailey was about to cut them off. "Oh, he has to be Rory."

"There's a Rory?"

"In the movie," Jenna nodded. "I might've overheard the director talking about a Rory after my audition."

"Oh, I should've done that."

The girls stuck side by side as they entered the crowded room. They saw actors and the director and even more publicists than they could imagine. Looking around, Laura could spot Mark Valley and Gale Harold, who she would be fan-girling over after the conference; and then she saw blond hair. The blondest hair that could exist on the face of the Earth and she only knew one person with that shade of blond. Ross. _Ross was in the movie. Ross was in the movie! Ross was in the movie?_

Promising to come back to Jenna, Laura started to walk over to Ross, who looked chummy with Gale already (jealous!). She watched as he swiped a grape when no one was looking and popped it into his mouth and watched when he took the last apple slice and crammed it into his mouth; and when he finally turned around to face her ended up choking on it.

"Slow down on the food kid. Can't have you dying before the movie starts," Gale patted him on the back to help him clear his throat before Ross took another step towards Laura.

There was no hello or teary eyes from them. There was just a leap and catch and a never letting go hug. She didn't care about the other staring and she knew he didn't either as he held on for dear life. "I can't believe you're here in this room with me," she mumbled into his shoulder.

Letting her feet touch the ground, he pulled back on the hug just ever so slightly and brushed her hair away from her face. "God, I missed you."

"You have no idea, Ross. No idea." Her smile was not getting any smaller and it was not because she was standing _thisclose _to Gale Harold or Brian D'Arcy. It wasn't because Stevenson Long was about to make a speech about the movie and all their roles. It was because of him. Five years. Five long years apart from each other and here they were again, hand in hand because he wouldn't let go just yet. And neither would she.

"Alright, since everyone now knows the plot...I know, it's a bit complicated. Our writers will be handling all those questions for press because well, they know exactly what to say and what not to. Unlike me," Stevenson told them, earning some chuckles. "Now, cast and characters," he pulled out his list and glasses. "Brian D'Arcy is Edu, our all powerful Eldest, who brings the Ten to this future for some reason. Beth Reisgraf is Kytla, his daughter and a kick ass walking encyclopedia, which I think is the greatest super power ever. Summer Glau, who is bewitching us just by standing there is Secra, this cryptic and cool prophet. Gale Harold is Revon and the meanest, roughest army general in the future. He actually has five captains under him, including Godfrey Gao as Malloy over there. The others are still being cast at the moment. We'll meet them soon. Mr. Milo Ventimiglia over there, who was making the catering team very happy for eating almost everything on that table, is Ridayh. His character says such few words that when all of you are on set, you'll be seeing just why this guy got this part," Stevenson flipped over the page to reveal the people who will play the title characters.

"And the Ten are...Laura Benanti will play Mayte, Reynaldo Gianecchi is Nicolas, Karen Allen over here is the one who goes nutso as Izel. This cool guy, Mark Valley, will play Victor, Eion Bailey is Jose, David Bailie, who unfortunately could not be here today will be playing Amunet, the stunning Yaya DaCosta is Danielle, Clara Oswald - I mean Jenna Coleman is our fantastic Sarah and I've been reminded by my daughter just last night that we reunited TV's Austin and Ally, Ross Lynch and Laura Marano as Rory and Magellan. Something I did not know until last night."

Stevenson took a breath and a drink of water. "And that's our cast! You all know me, so no need for introductions there. Patricia over here is producing, Ryan," he pointed to the corner, "gave you all your parts and Alex there, is going to be trying to navigate between all of us. Alex, I'm wishing you luck now."

The group laughed at their director, waiting to hear the next part of what was going to happen.

Ross nudged Laura in the arm, "You're Magellan."

"And you're Rory," she whispered back.

"Now, before we all go out there - where you'll be introduced just like you just were - please, say hi to one another and yes, more food is coming from catering, Milo."

"Good, because whatever that marshmallow dish thing was, was good," Milo commented, dragging his o's out.

Laura didn't hesitate in jumping back into Ross's arms. "You're Rory," she stated again.

"And you're Magellan, which is possibly the coolest character name ever."

He placed her back down on the ground again and noticed she wasn't as short as he remembered. Looking down at her sky high heels, that he didn't know how she was standing in, Ross let his eyes skim over her fit legs and suppressed an urge to run his fingers down them. She twirled around in the purple dress that hugged and skimmed over every curve and all he could think about was how good five years had been to her. Her hands and ears glittered with jewelry that he knew cost more than his parent's house and he found himself wishing it was just them in the room so he could kiss them off of her.

"Ross," Laura snapped her fingers, getting his attention back from whatever gutter it was in. "This is Jenna and I've already decided we're going to be the most annoying best friends to you throughout this entire process."

"While that sounded like a threat," Ross scratched his chin. "I kind of can't wait. Nice to meet you Jenna."

* * *

><p>He had wanted to take her hand and run out of the hotel and just steal her away from the day, or weekend, to catch up with her, but there was a movie to introduce, a cast to get to know and he hardly thought if he did that, he'd have a job afterwards. He sat two seats away from her on the panel and didn't know it was possible, but missed her by his side already. How the hell did he make it through five years without her?<p>

"I'm curious, as you two were once part of TV's hottest and most talked about on-screen couples, Laura and Ross, how do you think this movie will change both you and your fans' perception?"

_What a loaded question that was_, Ross thought to himself and leaned forward in his seat to glance over at Laura. "Yea, I'm gonna let you take that one."

"Of course you are," she said, a small ripple of laughter echoing in the room amongst the press. "It's true that we are Austin and Ally. We won't ever stop being Austin and Ally and I'd like to think that part of them will always be in us. They were both great characters to play and see develop into these amazing people. But now we're going to be Magellan and Rory and I hope, no, I know, that our true _Austin & Ally_ fans are excited to see us as someone new. This duo who might end up together or who might tear each other's throats out. When I was on HBO, I still had younger fans coming up to me for pictures and although I questioned what their parents allowed them to watch - because _First Aid_ is definitely not a kids show - I was grateful that they were still sticking with me and my career."

"I don't think our true _Austin & Ally_ fans will ever truly leave us," Ross chimed in. "It's kind of a blessing in disguise from Disney and it's this built-in fan base. I don't think Laura, or I, mostly me, would really be here without them."

"Thank you both," the reporter sat back down in her chair, not catching the sly wink he sent her way.

"We have time for two more questions folks," the moderator announced. "Stevenson, Ryan and Patricia will be available afterwards for further commenting."

Another reporter stood up with questions to Stevenson, followed by another with a question to the entire cast. Overall, the conference was a breeze and now he was even more curious about the script and if and how he could steal her away from Jenna's side for a much needed lunch. He saw her backstage again for a second as the ruckus ensued. Reps, managers and agents all scattered around their clients and the studio's heads for even more answers to their own questions. She was off talking to the other Laura and he was headed straight to her before being cut off by Milo, with a full apple in his mouth and his agent, who just happened to be his as well.

"Table read - full table read - is tomorrow everyone," Alex said loudly over the crowd, who settled down. "Until then, you're all getting character bios that will help you out more. Some of them are thicker than the actual script. To those with those thick ones, good luck. 9 a.m. tomorrow, same stage you all auditioned on."

That gave him, pulling back his watch on his wrist, 16 hours to eat, and soak her presence up. He was not going to take no for an answer from her for lunch, or dinner, or just to drive up to the beach like they used to do. Stealing his bio to study from Stella, Ross took off in his direction and was looking like a lost puppy when he couldn't find her where she just stood...until a vibrating tingle came out of his pants.

_Room 525_, was all the text said.

"Stella, I'm starving and getting out of here. Talk later Milo," he waved behind him and was out the door before he could hear their goodbyes. Lunch with Laura, check.

* * *

><p>"Stop being resistant, Ross," Laura pestered him, standing behind him and cursing herself for taking off those heels even though her feet were thanking her that they weren't in pain anymore. Back at her normal height in the comfiest flats from Target (she was such a bargain shopper), she struggled to tie the blindfold over his eyes on his face.<p>

"I have so many scenarios playing in my mind about this right now."

She poked him in the ribs. "Stop being dirty and hold still." On her tip toes, she finally pulled the blindfold up and waved her hand in front of his face. "Can you see anything?"

"No and if this is headed where I think it's headed..." Another poke came. "Ok, ok."

"You trust me?"

"With my life, unless you're driving," he joked with her, truly expecting another poke this time. He couldn't see what she was doing but he knew her tongue was out at him. So he stuck his tongue right back.

* * *

><p>"I think you both broke Twitter," Laura scrolled down on her phone, frustrated she couldn't read one word on any reply before twenty new ones came up. "Yep, you did. It just crashed on me."<p>

Laura turned her phone to show the guys the error message that popped up. It had been over two hours ago that she uploaded the epic reunion between what she considered the greatest bromance to ever live - Ross and Calum. The video she recorded of them, although short, was like something out of the movies with them running towards each other and swinging the other around and around. The view count, last she noticed, was over 2 million and counting.

"Nice," Ross nodded, biting into his Leaning Tower of Turkey sandwich from the diner they were in.

Laura had taken Ross to the diner where Calum, on a long lunch break from the TV show he was working on this week, had joined them. It had been nice seeing two of her favorite guys together again, just like old times.

"Oh!" Calum stopped what he was talking about with Ross and turned to her instead. "What happens with Jennifer?"

"I thought you didn't want spoilers?"

"I don't," Calum stammered, looking between them both before conceding. "Okay, okay. I want them. I'm dying to know what happens to Marco. Does he stay for Jennifer? Does he leave because of Danny? And what happens to that mansion?"

Ross couldn't help but laugh at the redhead seated across from him and Laura's all-knowing smirk was line with victory.

"Spoil me, woman!"

"In case you haven't picked up on it, Calum is a fan, if not the biggest fan of _First Aid_," Laura told Ross. "Since I got the role, he's been calling me for spoilers every week. I once caught him trying to open the script from my mail before I even had a chance to take off my shoes. It's gotten out of control."

"What can I say? I'm addicted and it's a fantastic show. I'm still livid that the silly and boring dance show got the Emmy over you guys."

"It's just an award, Calum."

"I know," he paused. "But Cassie and Angie's performance alone should've bagged it."

Laura laughed a bit more, grabbing a lone fry from Ross' plate and popping it in her mouth. "Marco stays."

"Yes!" Calum raised his arms up in joy and brought them down just as fast. "For Jennifer, right?"

She shrugged her shoulders, teased him. "You'll find out in a month, when the finale airs."

"You kill me Laura. You kill me."

"You still love me," she sung her words.

A soft silence overcame them again, each eating the meals in front of them. Ross was slowly, but surely, conquering his triple layered sandwich. Calum getting somewhat messy on a meatball sandwich and her on her hot wings. Some girls ordered salads and sometimes she did too, just not today. Not when they were honey glazed and a plate of them were less than three dollars.

"I can't believe you two are doing a movie together," Calum mused, swallowing a bite of his food. "If it hadn't happened soon, I was going to write you two an epic love story."

"And we both know you already have it written."

Calum shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head. "Think _Unchained Melody_ combined with _The Way We Were _and a slice of _The Notebook._"

Laura looked over at Ross and let the corners of her mouth turn upside. That would definitely be one emotional love story and she kind of hoped it would really happen one day. The three of them quickly finished their meals before catching up some more and made plans to get together again before they left for filming. Watching Calum run off from the restaurant and head back to set, Ross let out a deep breath.

"I missed that guy," he admitted, walking with Laura back to her car. "I missed you too, Laur."

Her light brown hair fell over her shoulder and caught a bright refraction from the sun, almost blinding him in the process as she turned towards him. "I missed you too, Ross. I'm glad we're in this movie together."

"Speaking of..." Ross pulled the bio out of his back pocket. Not as think as he saw hers was, but it was still thicket than his own wallet. "Curious?"

"Hell yea."

Ross liked this - not just the finding out about his character, but also that Laura was hanging onto his arm and making him feel...feelings. That was when he stopped reading about Dr. Rordan "Rory" McLaren and closed his eyes tight.

_Feeling feelings. Crap._


	4. four

_Magellan Augusta Snow. Private plane pilot and given special access to the US Air Force planes for secret and important missions for the government._

_A student in university, she's the youngest of five children who were also named after famous explorers, and smart beyond standardized tests, but it doesn't inhibit her. She was recruited by the US government after stumbling upon a lost relic that opened up a world of treasure and her excellent tech skills. Now, they use her for finding even more treasures that have been lost in jungles, oceans and the most remote places unknown to man._

Laura set the first page of Magellan's bio down on the table. She was a bit scared of taking this role now. In the past, she was cast as the good girl, the southern belle, the safe girl - not the girl who can hack a government with her super tech skills and get away with it. Then again, she was also excited by it.

_Magellan wakes up in the quarry after flying into a storm over the Bermuda Triangle_

Laura filled up her glass of wine to the brim. She had a feeling she'd be needing every bit of the elixir to get the forty more pages of the bio.

_Her skills are much different than the others who were taken. They're natural - doctors, teachers and fishermen. She's technical and wastes no time in asking questions and demanding answers. Among her closest friends in the quarry are Drs. Sarah Harrington and Rory McLaren, who both balance her out._

Laura heard her dad come in from the garage and out of the corner of her eye, and saw him kiss her mother on the temple. While she was 24, and could be living in her own place, with working on _First Aid_ for the past three years and splitting her time between LA and Savannah, Georgia, it just didn't make sense. Now, with her leaving for another continent in a week, the house hunt would definitely be put on hold.

"Hi Laura," her father said in passing.

"Hi Dad," she greeted him in return, her eyes still on the papers in front of her.

She learned the meaning of the name and why the profession was chosen. She learned of the things that shaped Magellan too - her hobbies, her skills, her friends, her love life, or lack of. Laura learned about our feisty-ness and how she mellows around the other Ten, or most of them. She learns of her hatred for Izel and deep inside, Laura is a bit sad about that since she was sure Karen was going to become one of her favorite people. She learns of her even more instant connection with Amunet and how his almost death shakes her to pieces.

"Laura!"

She pops out of reading, blinking more than she usually does at her mom. "Sorry mom."

Ellen pulled a tissue out of the box on the table for her. "You okay, sweetie?"

"Yea," Laura took it, blotting her eyes. She honestly didn't even know she was crying over it at all. "This isn't even the script and it's intense."

"I'm kind of afraid of when you do get the script," Ellen patted her knee. "Dinner's almost done."

She hoped and prayed the script was this intense, because she loved it. Sure, _First Aid_, had been intense in some parts - mostly during the many love scenes, but this was intense on a whole other level. And she loved it. It was like nothing she had done before.

* * *

><p>His highlighter was almost empty, and it was brand new. Shaking it violently in the air, Ross ignored the snickering from Ryland who was doing nothing but watching him study his role like Rydel studied for her chemistry finals, and currently inhaling the last of the giant sized Cheerios.<p>

"I've never seen you study this hard."

"Same," Ross looked up from the papers for just a moment. "This guy isn't like any other character I've played. Just listen," he skimmed back a few pages to the facts about Dr. Rordan "Rory" Atlan McLaren, the holistic doctor who disappears from The Gate of the Gods in Peru after getting some children back on the road to health.

Clearing his throat, he read the bio word for word to his youngest sibling. He told him about the doctor who was Irish in heritage and went to school for his profession for years before the faith of modern medicine failed him. Ross told him about the physician's broken heart from a failed marriage and how living in the South American country healed him. Dr. McLaren had been held at gunpoint, kidnapped by cartels and held for days without food, and how he survived it all by believing in not just one, but many Gods. Ross even told him that McLaren was supposed to fall for Magellan, too.

"Well, that part will be easy."

"That's all you took from all of that?"

"Well, yea. Laura is Magellan," Ryland said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Get me another highlighter," he tossed the pen at his younger brother and rolled his eyes, choosing to ignore his comment. He could not let him, or anyone else, see him agree full heartedly.

Ross read on, getting even more into the character than he expected when his phone beeped with even more congratulatory messages from the friends and family. Since the conference earlier in the day, and his reunion with Calum, his phone was one popular little gadget. This particular one was from Chris, sending his congrats as well.

_I hope this movie makes you run even more_

Ross smirked and could predict that it would. It definitely would.

* * *

><p>The sound stage was exactly the same as the last time he was here. The only difference? There were no walls around the Christmas decorations. It was all out in the open and to be honest, it was really refreshing. They were months and months away from the annual holiday, but any kind of Christmas or holiday songs would always get him in the mood. Humming "It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas" in the lowest tone he knew, Ross filled up his cup with the blackest coffee he found and inhaled the aroma before things got started. He nodded to Gale, who arrived after him and was listening to Beth Reisgraf, who would be playing Kytla, talk about her character with such energy. It seemed everyone involved in this project was excited about it and it made him happy he was just a little piece in it all.<p>

"Ross," a deep male voice called and he whipped his head away from Beth for just a moment. Gale approached them both, giving Beth a pleasantry kiss on the cheek before turning back to Ross. "I heard your brother is singing up a storm across the lot."

Ross blushed at Gale's statement and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yea, that's him. Getting his song and dance on in _Grease_."

"Wait, they're remaking that?" Beth asked, a bit surprised.

"Yea. My oldest brother Riker is playing Putzie."

"Woah. If I was just a bit younger, I would totally take Sandy on. I love that movie."

"And you would rock it Beth," Gale complimented her, picking up some food from the table. "Wait, is Milo here yet?" he looked around and got the confirmation he needed from Ross's shaking head. "I saw the way he ate yesterday. Better stock up."

"Ooo, good idea," Ross got in on that game, taking one of the bigger plates instead of the small.

The rest of the crew and cast came in and most were getting in their seats, wanting and excited to get things started. Ross smirked as he saw Laura going to town on a croissant that was loaded with a mountain of jelly inside of it and flipping through the script in front of her. Then he saw the size of the script. Alex was not kidding yesterday at the conference when he said it was thick. It was physically the size of a 300-page book and he was really praying most of that was scene set up. Taking his seat across from her, he nudged her foot under the table or at least tried to before he realized that not only did he look like he was slipping away from his seat, but also that she was sitting on her actual feet on top of the chair. A hot pink highlighter in one hand and a pen in the other, Laura was going to town on the script picking out all of Magellan's scenes. He could already tell that her storyline was the biggest one of all.

Popping some of the grapes in his mouth, Ross started on the script himself and pulled out the yellow highlighters from his inside pocket of his jacket. After running out last night with his other yellow highlighter, he brought extra just in case and as much as he wanted to dive right into the papers in front of him, he was more tempted about how good her croissant tasted. Reaching over the table, he took a chunk off and put it in his mouth.

"I saw that."

"That was good. Where's mine?"

"You have fruit right in front of you Ross."

"You stole my fries yesterday."

"Because you weren't eating them."

"I was, I just was saving them for after my sandwich and when I went to eat them, almost half of them were gone."

"Serves you right," Laura spat right back, her highlighter crashing down on the script as she put her hair up into a quick ponytail before snatching an orange slice from his plate.

"Is this how you two always are?" Jenna's very polite British voice asked. "If it is, it's adorable."

"Yea, we've heard that before," Ross laughed.

"So, so many times. Five years apart and we're still an old married couple."

Pink highlighter back in her hand and yellow in his, they all went back to their scripts and Ross glanced at Milo as he quietly slipped in next to him before Stevenson grabbed his own seat in the middle of everyone.

"Good morning people. I hope everyone is in the mood for Christmas," he joked, getting some laughs out of most of them. "We're going to get started in just a few moments, but first, we just filled up the last roles late yesterday, so let me introduce Margarita, Harrison, Chen and Gavin as our four guards, Rigby, Stone, Watson and Roberts."

Claps sounded off the sound stage with nods and hellos going to the last four actors to join the picture.

"Okay, scene 1, let's do this."


	5. five

Monday morning was another story and another set for Ross again. Back in Venice for _NCIS: LA_, he dressed in Tom's official leather uniform for one last race scene to wrap up his guest spot that would air in the upcoming season. Not running from the fake terrorists anymore, but from G and Sam, in this scene his character would truly be getting the hell out of dodge.

"Ready to run again?" Chris joked with him.

"I'll have you know I'm an excellent runner. I really am," Ross pointed out.

"I shall believe that when I see it."

Ten minutes later, Ross was making Chris eat his words and leaving him way behind on the boardwalk and in the dust the sand left behind. Catching up with a few crew guys at the end of the line, Ross took the towel to rid of the sweat on his brow and tossed them the leather vest to trade for a plain old t-shirt. Much better. He could see Chris and LL Cool J wrapping up their scene and started to walk back with the guys.

"Hey Chris," Ross called, picking up a handful of sand playfully. "How's the sand taste?"

As he said his goodbyes, he chatted with the director and show runner that he'd definitely be open for any more opportunities on the show. He'd done his share of guest spots on other shows after the end of _Austin & Ally_ and in between the concerts and he had to admit that this was one of his favorites, if not his absolute favorite. He had meshed well with the cast and couldn't actually wait to see the episode when it aired.

Checking his phone before hopping into his car on the lot, Ross scrolled through the text messages with at least fifteen of them from his mom and pictures from Riker's official Putzie look. There were no words to describe it...except maybe perfect. Quickly texting his mom back, he had to come and see this for himself and immediately thought of someone else who had to experience this with him.

_They're performing We Go Together later today._

Perfect. So so so perfect. Pressing his number three favorite on his phone, Ross muttered for her to pick up the phone over and over again.

"What's up buttercup?"

"Buttercup? Is that what you're going to call me now?"

"Possibly. I'm in between that and cupcake, and that's all because I'm in line for one at the moment."

"Well, get the cupcake fast because I'm stealing you away."

"For what?" she asked and he could imagine her left eyebrow going up just slightly.

"For a bit of Chang chang, changitty chang shoobop."

"Seriously? Some Rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong?"

"Mmhmm. You in?"

"Corner of Melrose and Fairfax. I'll even get you one."

"Be there in 10."

A half hour later, Ross pulled into the sound stage lot with sticky honey fingers and trying to wipe them all clean so he wouldn't torment his brother any more. But who was he kidding? He was going to taunt him and not just with a cupcake. He followed Laura to the stage and laughed at the spring in her step.

"Now, remember Laura, we can't actually sing the song when they're filming it," he reminded her.

"I know that," she nodded. "But we can still mouth the words right? Because it's impossible not too. The damn song is just so catchy."

"Oh hell yea, we're mouthing the words."

Turning one last corner, Laura sprinted in front of him as soon as she saw Stormie hanging out in video village and gave her possibly a bigger hug than she had given him last week at the conference. And yes, he was jealous of it. Walking up to the two, he gave his mom a kiss while trying to spot Riker in his Putzie-ness on the set. He wasn't the only blond guy in the film this time around, with the guy playing Kenickie being even blonder than him and some extras who were had hair as white as snow. Modern day _Grease_, Ross had to remind himself.

"Stormie, you have so many visitors today. We're going to have to just put them all in the movie," an older woman, who sat with a script in her lap, mentioned as she saw Ross and Laura hanging around.

"A lot of visitors?"

"Rydel and Rocky came earlier," Stormie mentioned and introduced the woman to both of them.

"Oh my God, is that Sofia?!" Laura spotted their old friend on the set next to Riker.

"I forgot to tell you that," Ross smiled over at her. "Sorry."

"How could you forget that? It's Sofia!"

"She's playing Jan," Hilary, the script supervisor who they were just introduced to, told her. "She's pretty wonderful actually."

"Isn't she? She was a guest star on _Austin & Ally_ way back in the day."

"We almost gave her Marty, but she had such a great repertoire with Riker, we knew she had to be Jan."

Laura looked back to Ross who was trying to silence a laugh about the whole thing. "Quit laughing at your brother," she warned him.

"You've got to admit it's a funny thing, right?"

Laura didn't respond to him but did stick close as a megaphone was pulled out and startled her. The number was coming up and her excitement was going to burst at any moment. Grabbing his hand, she pulled him with her to get a better view and pointed to where Riker was with Sofia.

"You think we should've done this?"

"Ha! Not me," she admitted. "Maybe you. But then you wouldn't be in _Ten_ and I don't want to think about that."

"Me either. Although the appeal of dancing with Aimee Teegarden is a definite pull," Ross confessed, watching as the main cast was all lined up for the start of the number and Aimee was decked out in Sandy Dombrowski's leather jumpsuit and tightly curled hair. She wasn't a retro Sandy, but she was giving a nod to the image portrayed by Olivia Newton-John in the original film.

"She looks hot," Laura stated.

"I will agree."

QUIET ON SET, the director called out with the megaphone and the music started to play in the background.

Stormie soon came to stand beside them and watched as the cast came together for the finale number. Laura couldn't help it, two words into the song and she was already bobbing her head, dancing around and mouthing all the words to the song. Turning to face Ross, her mouth moved around, singing silent words to him.

"When we go out at night and stars are shinin' bright," Ross moved his own mouth around.

"Up in the skies above," she continued the lyric, her arms up in the air for the dance part which he knew she had memorized.

Stormie smiled over at the two, silently laughing at them and watching her oldest slide all over the grass the studio had laid in the lot for the scene. They had been unable to get into the football field they wanted to and since this was a modern take, put a modern spin on it. The graduation carnival on the football field from the film had turned another graduation carnival in a mostly concrete lot. While they couldn't see the full vision right now, they would when the movie actually came out. The lyrics boomed around the lot, with not just Ross and Laura singing the song in the background, but most of the studio's employees as well. The cast got in line for the yearbook signing scene, voices taking over repeating the song title again and again.

Ross looked over at Laura again as the last line came out. He was glad he brought her along for this and even more glad that his mom texted him just in time.

"Laura, are you coming to dinner?" Stormie asked a bit later on, after the number had been performed and performed again.

Laura did a double take towards Ross and then back at his mom. "Um, actually, I have to start packing."

"Please come, Laura. I need a girl in my mess of boys since Rydel has been on campus. Just one night," Stormie started to beg.

"Mom, we can all do dinner together before we leave."

"Oh, that's a better idea," Stormie realized, telling her she'd call her parents to make plans before running back off to video village for Riker.

"I hope I'm packed by then," Laura told him as they headed back to his car.

"I'm sure you will be and if not, I'll come and help you."

"Can I get that in writing?" she laughed at him, not believing any part of that statement. It was four months in South Africa and she needed to make sure she had everything. Going back and forth from LA to Savannah was easy - it was on the same continent and only a few timezones away. South Africa was another story altogether. It was an entirely different continent and a ten hour difference. There was no way she'd be going back and forth for something and sending a package there? Not really on her agenda to put her parents or sister through. There were five suitcases in her room waiting to be filled up with items and she dreaded just starting on one.

"I promise you, if I get done by tomorrow, I will come and help you pack."

"Writing please," she smiled over at him. "Have you gotten your shots and all that yet?"

"I go in tomorrow. I'm not really looking forward to those malaria pills."

"I'll trade you those for the shots."

"Still not a fan, huh?"

"Will never be a fan of shots. Ever."

"When's your appointment?"

"Wednesday," she told him, sliding into the passenger side seat of his car. "And then I have a quick meeting at HBO for _First Aid_."

"Is Jennifer Sutton getting her own spinoff?"

"I don't think so," Laura laughed at the notion. Not that she thought he even watched the show at all, but where Jennifer and Marco ended up there was no way there was a spinoff coming. "Wait, do you watch the show?"

"My mom tapes it. Seriously, DVR completely full and first two seasons on actual Bluray," Ross said, before admitting, "I might have watched them both during my three week recuperation period."

"You did?" Laura started to tease him as he nodded. "Are you a Kit now?"

"A what?"

"A Kit. It's what the fans of the show call themselves. They're Kits. You know, First Aid Kits..."

Ross shook his head. Gotta love fans of television and couples and the celebrity game. Sometimes they could be really creative. "Not a Kit like Calum is, but it's a good show."

"I'm glad you like it."

"The sex scenes were my favorite," he mentioned and watched her face go bright red in 0 to 60 seconds flat. Smirking, he added, "You think Austin would've gotten Ally off like that?"

* * *

><p>The family dinner they made plans for came sooner than they both expected. Sinking back into Ross' gaming chair in the Lynch's media room, Laura was still going through her great American novel sized script and studying it like it was a bible - which in this case, it was. Reading up on the big climax of the movie, she gasped when she got to the lien that really changed the entire thing.<p>

"Let me guess, you got to Milo's big scene," Ross asked, bringing her a glass of wine from the kitchen he knew she would've been asking for in two seconds.

Laura nodded, "Holy crap. I did not see that coming."

Pulling the script away from her, he flipped back many, many, many pages to one of his favorite, if not his favorite scenes between their two characters and recited it line for line.

"I was at the Gate of the Gods, in Peru," Ross glanced up at her. "It was my last stop before going home to see my mom for the first time in years and I was really looking forward to it...to her hugs, her food, just her. All I did was put my hand over the golden key stone."

"Then you were here," Laura continued the scene with Magellan's lines.

He nodded. "Then I was here. I woke up the same as you did with tubes and medicines pumping into my skin that I'd rather not have in my body.

"Did you react as badly as I did?"

He laughed, a smirk spreading across his lips. "No one reacting as badly as you did. But you had every right to. We all did. They took us away from everything we knew, everyone we loved for...something."

Laura locked eyes with Ross, knowing the scene he just read was more silence and emotion than dialogue and in that scene, he was really becoming Rory...at least the Rory she had in her mind. The compassionate doctor who wanted more peace than riot, unlike her character who wanted to raise hell to get back to where she came from. There was a balance between the characters, one she couldn't wait to explore.

"I like that scene the best," he told her. "It's where we, Rory and Magellan, start."

"Aww, how sweet."

It took only two seconds for Rocky to ruin their moment and a frustrated groan to escape his mouth. "Really Rocky? Really?"

"How are you not used to this by now? I mean, 24 years bro," Rocky swung his arm arounds Ross' shoulders and joined the two. "Now, Laura, is that your favorite too?"

"Um," Laura blinked her way between the both of the Lynch's gazes. "It's one of them. I actually really like the scene where they save Amunet together. It's the scene, I think, where their relationship takes a turning point."

"Towards love," Rocky sang.

"Yes, towards love."

"Aww," he strung the word out. "Anyhow, dinner is almost ready lovebirds," Rocky pushed himself off of Ross and left the room.

Extending his hand to her, Ross pulled Laura up from the chair. "I love my brothers, but I can not wait for our flight tomorrow despite it being a full day. No Rocky or Ryland to embarrass the hell out of me."

"You'll miss them, Ross."

"Give me at least two weeks," he told her as they walked back to the dining room together where he was surprised to see both of their families almost ready to give up on their return and eat all the food without them. "Almost ready?" he turned to Rocky.

All Rocky could do was give them a toothy smile with a slice of bread mashed in his mouth.

"This smells so good Stormie.'

"Thank your wonderful father for that," Stormie told Laura, who planted a kiss on her dad's head on her way to one of the empty chairs. "I'm so glad we got to this before you two left."

"I can't believe you're going to South Africa, like a month after we just got back and all," Ryland mentioned, taking one to many scoops of pasta for himself.

"Wasn't in the plan, but I'm looking forward to it."

"Plus, you'll get to see Africa. I've always wanted to go there," Stormie told son, taking a bite of the Chicken Tetrazzini on her own plate.

"Dad, I think that was a hint," Ross chuckled, giving his own mouth a taste of the meal and having a slight orgasm over it. He really needed to know how to make food like this.

"I have no doubt it was," Mark nodded.

The families talked about the new movie more and the vaccinations Ross and Laura had endured before turning the conversation over to Rocky's news - he was going to be writing with Beck, a musician who was on each of the R5 members bucket list, and there was another he was keeping under wraps. Ross jumped right into that conversation, telling Rocky all about this song he had going through his mind while Stormie kept questioning Laura about the itinerary and the adventures she had to take while she was there. Riker and Rydel joined them later in the evening after dinner, after his day was done on set and after she got out of her English class. Food was still spread around the table but most of them were done eating, sipping on wine instead and the parents, mostly, trying not to think of their children traveling 10,000 miles to the Rainbow Nation.

"Wait, you're not packed yet?" Laura shot straight up, back in Ross' gaming chair where she and most of his family had migrated to into the media room.

"Um... halfway?"

"Halfway? Ross, we have a day until we leave. You are leaving the same time I am, aren't you?"

He nodded, still a little embarrassed (again) that Ryland outed him on his packing progress. "One o'clock. LAX," he confirmed before she pulled him up from his spot and dragged him again. "Wait, what are you doing?"

"I never thought I'd have to help you pack. I was really banking on you helping me instead," she told him, already up the stairwell towards his room.

"You're helping me pack?"

"I kind of think I have to. Lord knows you will not get even past your pants before you give up and toss anything and everything in your suitcases and I'm not going to let your mom do it for you."

"I wasn't going to let her, and suitcases?"

"Four months, Ross! Four months!"

He let her go, watching as she pulled out almost all of his clothes from his dressers, starting with pants and shirts. She went through them one by one, tossing any she knew he wouldn't wear and putting the others inside or on top of the suitcase he did have out on his bed. It was kind of funny to him, how after five years, she could still know all that - what he liked, what he didn't, what he would actually wear. He also kind of liked that she knew all that, too.

"You can start helping me anytime now," she called over her shoulder and he didn't hesitate at all, pulling out socks and tossing them beyond her onto his bed and just over an hour later, two suitcases full of clothes were packed to the edge and just waiting to be taken downstairs. Of course, he still had one more case to pack, but he could handle that one on his own. Laying back on the bed beside her, Ross glanced over at her as she just stared up at the blank, white ceiling.

"Penny for your thoughts."

"Are you nervous? For this movie, I mean."

"Not really. I think I'm was more nervous on how to say hello to Gale the first time. You're nervous?"

She snickered at his confession, rolling onto her side and looking back at him, nodding her head slightly.

"You have no need to be. You're going to be great."

"I hope so. I know the movie is about all ten of us, it just seems I have a hell of a lot more lines than anyone. I don't want to disappoint anyone, considering how much the studio has put into it."

"I hardly think that if they thought you would fail, they would've given you the part," Ross squeezed her knee. "They have probably been following you since _Joan of Arcadia_ and knew exactly who they wanted Magellan to be and it was you."

"Woah, way to kick it really old school there."

Ross kissed her forehead. "Watch, you'll get an Oscar for this."

She slapped his chest. "You're such a dreamer."

"You love it."

And he was right, she did.


	6. six

Bumps and turbulence were not his thing. Not one bit. He hated turbulence and wished for once that Mother Nature would be nice and lay off the wind storms...or that he could sleep through it all, like Laura was. Ross looked over at his airplane buddy, where she held the script tightly and had her legs up on the foot rest. A soft blanket on her lap and her head laying slightly on his right shoulder. How she could sleep through all of the bumps and twists and wind storms, he would never know. Closing his eyes again as the plane leveled out, he hoped to get at least a few minutes of shut eye before they landed in Amsterdam for the second leg of their flight to Cape Town.

The day before was busy and his not only his body was tired, but so was his mind. He had met up with Rydel once more for breakfast, and then caught up with Calum again later on for coffee before finishing out his day at the CBS lot for one final scene they had to reshoot before he left. He was just thankful it wasn't him running anymore. In between all his meetings and meet ups, he had run into some fans and upgraded his phone plan to mega-international because if he left and his mom found out he didn't, he'd be in more trouble than he was in when he was younger for flouring up the kitchen and Ryland.

He could feel the plane slow down its speed and listened in silence as the flight attendants went back and forth through the aisle, picking up trash and making sure all the passengers were comfortable. Mistakenly opening his eyes and looking over at Milo across the way, Ross regretted opening his eyelids but the knocking of an armrest was getting in the way of a perfectly good rest.

"Dude, what the hell are you doing?"

Milo looked over at the blond and pulled his headphones down. "Making music man."

"Yea, right. That," he pointed to Milo's so-called drumming on the armrest, "is not music."

Ross craned his neck to see what was on his co-star's computer screen and that was all it took. He was officially awake and would be for the next fourteen hours. "Woah! You got that game."

"Oh yea. Last purchase for a while, but so worth it. You play?"

"Hell yea," Ross craned his neck even further, almost falling out of his seat if it weren't for his own armrest. "Dude, keep playing so I know what not to do when you let me have my turn."

The two did play the game for the rest of the flight to Amsterdam before lights flickered on and the pilot's voice came overhead for them to start getting ready for their descent. Shaking Laura a bit, Ross didn't even have to remember that she was a deep sleeper and a little shake was not going to do anything. Dipping his fingers in his water he started to finish drinking, he flicked the droplets at her instead. Still nothing. Five years ago, that was all it took, but now, it was not.

Giving up for the moment on waking her up, Ross got up from his seat to stretch his legs before he was locked in once again for the plane's descent. He didn't mind being told about it by each attendant that passed by, he didn't even mind the second warnings. What he did mind was a burst of sudden turbulence that shook him back into his seat front facing and landing almost entirely on top of Laura, whose eyes shot open instantly.

"Ross..."

"Um, we're landing?"

"This is why we asked you to be seated, Mr. Lynch," one of the first class attendants came by to help him and stood there until he was back in his seat properly.

"I know, I know," he nodded, trying at all costs to avoid Laura's gaze that was burning on the side of his head. His skin now a brighter tone than normal, he looked over at her. "Sorry."

"You could've just called my name if you wanted me up."

"No, I couldn't," he scoffed at her. "I tried that, and shaking you and spraying water on you. You've developed a brand new sleeping pattern I am not used to yet."

"Really?"

"Really. You are a really deep sleeper."

Laura bit her lip, suppressing her laugh at herself and at him, something he kind found of irresistible about her.

"You'll teach me that right? Because I could so use that."

"We'll get you a pill," she parred his arm and started to rearrange her position as the overhead intercom came on.

_Ladies and gentlemen, please make sure all your electronic devices are stored as we are on our final descent into Amsterdam, Netherlands. We thank you for flying KLM Airlines and hope you choose to fly with us again soon. Welkom op Amsterdam._

"You should've seen if you could've gotten a tour of the cockpit," he nudged her, the realization just coming to him. "Although, I would've been more afraid of you flying us than the turbulence."

She slapped him in the chest again. "Just for that, I'm going to make you my co-pilot for my flying lessons this weekend."

"You're seriously getting flying lessons?"

"Magellan is a pilot, Ross."

"I know that, but I'm not going to medical school for Rory."

"I seriously hope you've done research though. You're a holistic doctor, you do have to know things."

He scoffed at her again, feeling the plane dip in the air. Of course he did the research and read up on holistic practices, even connecting with one of Rydel's biology professors and a few at Cedars Sinai for guidance. "Would I not do any research?"

Laura rolled her eyes and unbuckled her belt, waiting and watching as he was realizing they had already landed and arrived at their gate. He turned back to her, waiting for him to get up so she could. "I remembered you get nervous with landing."

"You do?"

"Yep, and talking always helped."

He didn't even think about it, he just kissed her cheek in thanks and let his lips linger longer than one typically would. "Thanks Laur."

"Anytime," she smiled at him. "Now, can you get up? I have to pee."

* * *

><p>WELCOME TO SOUTH AFRICA - TEN<p>

The sign wasn't loud or big, but just the right size for the five people who stuck close together as they made their way through Cape Town International Airport. The airport was nice, as far as Laura could tell. Spacious and airy, with friendly staff and better - no paparazzi.

When she was younger, the paparazzi in Los Angeles never really bothered her. She was only a Disney star after all and really stayed away from all the hot spots that the others would frequent. It also helped that she didn't live in Hollywood, too, but ever since getting that Emmy for a guest spot on _Scandal_ and _First Aid_ became the show to watch, they did try to get her more. They stayed outside the studio lots, followed her as far as they could, stalked her favorite cafes - the normal. It wasn't as bad as her co-stars had it when they were all back in Los Angeles, but it was still annoying. First impressions of Cape Town? No paparazzi and she was loving it.

"Welcome to South Africa, everyone," a tall woman with the longest blond hair she had even seen greeted them with an even bigger smile on her face. Thin green eyes popped out from behind her wispy bangs and she wore a bright yellow shirt that if anyone lost their way, they'd find her again without any trouble. "Welcome Gale, Milo, Laura, Ross and Laura," she greeted them again, referencing the clipboard in her hand like a travel guide to make sure everyone was in front of her.

They all mumbled their hellos to her and to the man standing next to her. After twenty hours total on two planes and their coffee supply running low, they were all just ready to crash in whatever bed in whatever hotel the woman was taking them to.

"I see we're all a little groggy from the flight and we don't blame you. I'm Zenaide, you can call me Zen, and this is Tau. The rest of my crew will be gathering your luggage for you, and be getting that to the hotel for you all in a separate van. Our hotel for you five is about a half hour away on the waterfront, so if anyone has to use the facilities, definitely do it now."

Laura set her carry-on on the floor, looking over to her co-stars to see if any of them were actually taking advantage of the opportunity. Nope. No one. She figured they all had de-boarded the plane and headed straight to the nearest restroom they could find. At least that's what she did and was now more than ready for a ride into the city towards a bed to crash on.

"No one? Okay, then let's head out. We're going to be in a van and heading to the Staybridge Suites. They may not be the top luxury hotel here, but they are the best in extended stays and their staff could not be friendlier. Of course, I may be biased, my sister half owns the place," Zen gushed and Laura could only smile at her excitement. "We also picked up some braai and koeksister for you all because we had a feeling you'd be hungry and these are just some of the meals you'll be having during your stay."

Laura felt Ross grab her hand and pull her closer towards him and the van.

"Not letting you get distracted," he told her, knowing full well she would and he would be right. There was a souvenir shop right there and she was itching to go in it already.

"What's koeksister?" Milo asked, curious about the food that was awaiting them in the vehicle.

"Good question, Mr. Ventimiglia. You'll be wanting a lot of it afterwards. It's this insanely delicious syrup-coated doughnuts. They're twisted and deep-fried and as Tau says a lot, finger licking good."

"How many of those did you bring?" Gale brought up. "Because if they're as good as they sound, Milo here will clean us all out."

"True story," Milo nodded, a wide smile spreading across his face.

"Don't worry, there should be enough for everyone and if not, they're all around the city. You'll be able to have your share of them Mr. Ventimiglia."

Zen and Tau got everyone in the van and ten minutes later, they were on their way to the hotel. The van was cozy and not as shuttle-y as she pictured when she first saw and met Zen and Tau. She didn't know how traffic was in South Africa, but she did know Los Angeles' traffic and if she had to chose, she'd take South Africa's. They were actually moving and not stuck behind cars for hours. Looking from the window to her bag at her feet, she brought out her folder that held everything she needed to know about accommodations, attractions and anything in between.

"I hope you're all enjoying the koeksister," Zen said from the passenger seat and was hit with not silence, but boys chewing and chewing and chewing the delectable pastries. Even Laura had to admit, it was good. "I'll take that as a yes. Now, when we get to the hotel, which," Zen glanced at her watch, "will be sooner than we both expected, you'll get your room assignments and itinerary for tomorrow from Alex."

Laura nodded to herself, trying to read the sheet in front of her but knew it was a lost cause. Shoving it back into her bag, she pulled one of the braai from Ross' container and put it in her mouth before he could protest.

"What is it with you and my food?"

"Potluck, Lynch," her voice was muffled as she chewed the slightly barbequed piece of meat. "It's just so good and you already had the rest of my koeksister."

"Not a good enough reason," he told her before the other Laura piped up.

"She gave you her doughnut. You need to give her the rest of your braai. I think that's a fair trade," the other and older Laura agreed from behind him.

The Lauras - 1, Ross - 0.

* * *

><p>Zenaide was right. The group was at the hotel in twenty more minutes and they walked behind her with their carry-ons in their hands and on their shoulders before about five bellboys came to help them in a rush. <em>Super friendly, indeed.<em> While one did want to take his guitar from him, he wasn't giving it up as easy. Learning from experience and past horrors, the guitar would always stay with him and not anyone else who could damage, lose or even worse, destroy it.

"Welcome to the Staybridge Suites," another girl, who Ross had to assume was Zen's sister - same hair, same green eyes, same ridiculously bright smile and sunny attitude - greeted them. Who was this cheery this late in the day?

"We're so glad you all made it. I'm Zilda and I know it's been more than a long day for everyone, so let me get Alex and get you up to your rooms."

He could've sworn the chipper concierge actually skipped out of the lobby and retrieved Alex, who looks way more relaxed and rested than any of them must have.

"Hey guys. How was the flight?" the assistant asked, not waiting for the collect group groan that came in response. "You all have separate rooms, built in kitchens, the best bathrooms, the works. Your room number is on the top of the folder, and on the key and tomorrow's itinerary is also inside. Your luggage..."

"Just got here," Zilda piped in as the rolling racks were seen heading outside to the van which just arrived.

"Please note that there is a strict breakfast hour for everyone. This is because we're headed to the retreat tomorrow afternoon and every minute counts," Alex told them, shaking his finger for emphasis. "Goodnight!"

"What room you in?" Ross asked Laura quickly, before Zilda could wake him up any further to the point where he couldn't get to sleep at all.

"Um, 340."

"Yes. Right next to me. 338," he flashed his keycard and a smile at her. "Let's go food stealer."

"Not my new nickname!" she stomped off after him, a luggage cart following them both towards the elevators.

"I don't think you get any say in that."

"I should, Rossy Lunch," Laura spat back, knowing the old nickname annoyed the hell of out him as the elevator door closing on them and heading up to the third floor.

"That was mean, Laur," a pout coming off of his lips. 5, 4, 3, 2...and there they were - the softest eyes and softer face. His pout worked miracles when he was around her and he would use it until the day he died. Now it was her turn to kiss his cheek.

They walked towards their rooms, saying their goodnights and not noticing Gale, Laura and Milo standing at the end of the hallway where their own rooms were located.

"So," Milo broke their own private viewing party. "I say two months."

"Two months? Next week," Gale put his money on it.

"You both are wrong," Laura said, her foot holding open the door to her room. "Three months, and double it."

The _When Ross and Laura Will Hook Up, Or Fall In Love, Whichever Comes First_ Pool was officially open for wagers.

* * *

><p>Laura studied the sheets in front of her at breakfast the next morning. While most who came to greet her good morning probably thought it was just the itinerary and she was just that type of actress wanting to memorize everything - which was partly true - these sheets were not the itinerary. They were flight patterns and controls and all the things she would have to know for her first flight lesson later in the day. While the studio still had a double and would use her for most of the difficult flight scenes, Laura was persistent on learning and doing some of her own flight stunts. What better way to learn a new skill, right?<p>

She could tell you the NATO phonetic alphabet - alpha, bravo, charlie, delta, echo - and some of the terms on one of the pages, but most she was still trying to learn. She had no clue how real pilots in the Air Force did it. There were just so many. Her character in the film, Magellan Snow, was a highly ranked hunter and earned the title of Captain Snow. Magellan had special access to places that normal Captains would not, almost complete flight freedom and knowledge about things that not even a General would. Laura kind of wanted to grow up to be this girl. When this movie came out, she'd give a lot of girls a lot of hope.

Placing the sheet next to her plate, she picked up more eggs on her fork and put them into her mouth. She wasn't really hungry anymore, but she knew she needed the energy level for today. There was an hour drive outside of Cape Town, then final hair and makeup tests, then filming the very first scenes and then she had her flight lesson. While she was glad it was the last thing on her agenda for the day, she was anxious to get started. Getting to really fly a plane for a role, she never thought she'd see the day. She'd had fake tattoos before, and piercings in places she would never. She had had a pixie cut and learned how to do a proper breaststroke for guest roles on shows, but never a flew a plane.

"You look like you're studying for your entrance exam to university," Jenna told her, sitting beside her and watching Laura panic over the day ahead of her. "I'm pretty sure you would get great marks on it too."

"Sorry. I don't mean to be that actress. It's just...flight school."

"Mmhmm," Jenna nodded, still sipping on her tea and biting a bit of her biscuit as Ross and Yaya joined them at the table.

"Okay, put it away," Ross stood above her with two full plates of food in his hands. "I need somewhere to set my food down."

"There's another table right there, Ross."

"Laur, come on," he whined a bit and when she didn't make any sort of move to move her papers around for more company, he used the other table for his food and quickly came back to pack all of her things up for her.

"Ross! What are you doing?! I need to study those!"

"No, you don't. I'm pretty sure you've been studying this stuff since the conference and when you got into your room last night, you pulled these right out and studied them even more. It's breakfast. We eat and talk, not study," he lectured her, pulled the sheets over on his seat and not hers before retrieving his plates of food and sitting down on them.

"Yea, I'm really starting to see that old married couple now."

Ross smiled at Jenna before looking back at a pouting Laura. "It's a good thing."

Her arms were crossed now, and no matter how hard Ross had tried, she was still studying what she had in her head. Call signs, abbreviations and rankings. Laura wasn't sure if one of the bigger scenes, in her opinion, would be cut from Magellan's storyline. It was her backstory where viewers could see where she came from and how she got there. It wasn't a short flashback like the others were, it was a full scene with more than three lines of dialogue and featured almost her entire family. While her eyes were watching Ross shovel eggs and biscuits and sausage into the thing he called a mouth (she'd argue it was a vacuum), she was running her lines through her head and re-memorizing her motions. It was the first day of filming and she just wanted to get everything right.

"Good morning, _Ten_!" Stevenson called out as he stepped into the dining room with Alex by his side. "Who's ready for a ride into the jungle? I'm kidding. There aren't any jungles here, but there are these grasslands which is where everyone but us has been camping out. So, finish up eating and let's get a move on."

"That means fifteen minutes, everyone," Alex added.

Godfrey and Milo came by the table then, silently watching as Ross raced to eat all the food in the allotted time. To defend them, it was a sight to watch. Laura knew that growing up with three brothers, Ross had always had the 'eat fast or eat nothing' mentality but for others, it might be a spectacle to see.

"Dude, slow it down," Godfrey told him, patting him on the shoulder as he greeted the three ladies upon passing.

One last bite in his mouth, Laura didn't hesitate in pulling him up from his seat and getting her movie bible that he took from her. Catching up with Yaya and Jenna, Laura flipped her sunglasses on her head fro the short walk to the waiting vans. As Alex sorted them into the two vehicles, he handed out the scene for the day as well. _Great, more sheets for my bible. _Laura grabbed the seat by Jenna, not paying attention to the person who grabbed the one by her as she went through the scene in her hands.

"Now, since we don't have a ton of daylight today, we're gonna run lines on our way and when we arrive, get you all straight into hair and wardrobe," Alex jumped into the passenger seat and told them before the van started up and wheeled away from the hotel, following the other that just left. "For the others who are in the other van, I'll read those in. Anytime you're ready Brian."

The group started off on their venture, passing the time with not an intense scene but certrainly a scene that the movie needed. It was an understanding scene, as Laura read it. It was typical for movies to hop around the script filming and put everything together in editing, but why they chose this scene to start off with was something Laura wondered. The scene set up was where her character found out the truth; the real truth of her legacy from where her came from and why she could never return.

"What do you mean I can't return?" Laura, as Magellan, read her line where she bursts in on Edu and Revon's conversation. "Why can I never return? Why them and not me?"

"Ms. Snow.." Gale started off Revon's lines, his voice deep behind her in the backseat.

"That's Captain Snow and you will tell me right now. Why, after everything, can't I go? I've done everything you've ever asked of me and you were going to keep this from me? You tell me right now why."

Laura could feel the anger and hurt swell up in her voice and she hoped she'd have even more when they filmed it this afternoon. Looking up towards the windshield, she squinted against the glare of the sun as they drove into the mountainside and rearranged her posture, bumping into Ross' side on her right. Letting a faint smile pass over to him, Laura brought her attention back to the scene and listened as Jenna's character, Sarah, had more than a few choice words with Revon. Laura's lips turned upwards - there was something about hearing Jenna curse that she kind of loved.

"Jenna, can I stop you?" Alex interrupted the scene and didn't wait for an answer from the young British actress. "We're almost to the retreat and just need to go over one rule here and it's big. Don't touch the giraffe."

"Woah, there's a giraffe?"

"Yea. His name is Livhu and he's skittish. Any other animal is ok though."

"How many animals are there?" Ross kept asking, his interest now peaked.

"About twenty. You'll get to meet them all. Sorry for interrupting, just needed to tell you before I forgot. Jenna," Alex got back to the scene and it played out in front of them brilliantly. Jenna said more curse words, Gale said them right back and Brian, as the calm leader Edu, pulled them back from a war they were about to start.

"If Magellan doesn't go, I don't go," Ross uttered Rory's words in a softer voice than Laura had expected.

"McLaren, you have to go. There is no other way."

"No, if she doesn't, neither do I. You took me away from a life I was finally at peace with only to have me fall in love here, with her, and then you want to take it all away again?" his voice rising with aggravation. "Over my ashes."

The group continued the scene and just as it wrapped up, they were making their way from the Cape Fold Mountains and into Little Karoo, a thin and long valley separated from the big Karoo desert just north of it. Glancing out the windshield again, Laura caught eye of the giraffe mentioned before, his long neck sticking out like a swore thumb. Short, makeshift buildings surrounded the base camp and as they got closer, she could see Stevenson running around the set and the other cast members whisked away to wardrobe and hair. They were going to make a movie today...and she couldn't wait.

* * *

><p>He wasn't used to this. Running his hands through his, now lack of, hair, Ross turned from side to side checking out his new style and wasn't sure how to take it. As an actor, appearances had to change for roles, even just a smidge and while we was expecting something, he wasn't expecting to lose the hair that all the fans - at least female fans - loved. The sides were shorter, there wasn't any loose hairs tickling the back of his neck and at the moment, it was slicked back for a very clean look. The stylist had told him it would loosen up into a shaggy look they wanted for Rory over the course of the movie. That being said though, he was still nervous about it. He hadn't had his hair this short in years...seven years, as he could remember. He remembered the moment he wanted it to be longer. It was the moment that Austin and Ally had admitted they were still in love with each other and another kiss came for the couple on television; and the moment Laura had dragged her fingers through his hair. That was his decisive moment and he hadn't regretted it. Now that it was short again, he found himself thinking about the moment Laura would drag her fingers through it again and if it would feel the same - you know, for the movie.<p>

While the men were in hair and makeup, the women were off in wardrobe and he wondered what the Ten's actual threads looked like. He had imagined white scrubs like nurses wore or sleek, skin tight suits, like they had in _Tron_ or something. But thinking back on the script and some of the physical descriptions, neither seemed to match up. The movie wasn't post-apocalyptic so there would not be a ton of grunge inspired looks, but it wasn't so far in the future that the skin tight suits would fit in either. It was sort of somewhere in the middle.

"You are all set for wardrobe, just next door," the stylist, Rendi, announced, after cleaning up the hairstyle more.

"Thanks Rendi," Ross headed back out into the sun, Harrison Knight, who played one of the guards, Watson, following behind him, as well as Eion too. The trio headed over to wardrobe just as Jenna and Yaya came out, robes covering up the clothes behind.

"Oh, Ross, not yet," Jenna held on to him.

"Huh?"

"Laura's still in there. You can not, absolutely not, see her yet," Yaya told him, looking over to Jenna.

"Why not?" Ross asked, becoming more curious about what she was wearing. He tried to crane his neck as far as he could while the guys went inside, but it was no use. Jenna, although tiny, had a serious grip and was not letting go. "Come on, I don't get anything?"

"No, you don't," Laura's voice came from inside as she came out. Her hair was still brown, her eyes still mesmerizing, smile still brilliant. All that was different was that she looked like the Michelin Man in a very fluffy, very white robe that made her look like a floating cloud. "You'll just have to wait until the scene. Have fun in there."

Watching her leave and head into hair and makeup, Ross turned back and headed inside, immediately running into Milo, Harrison and Eion laughing at his encounter with Laura. Rolling his eyes at all three of them, Ross shook hands with the wardrobe stylists, and was immediately taken to Rory's rack, which was full of clothes that he hadn't even thought of. His hands roamed over the clothes, taking a look at them all as Harrison and Eion continued to snicker behind him.

"Guys, really?"

"Really," Milo quickly answered for them. "Your girl is hot, Lynch. Like sex on heels hot."

"First, manners, and second," he turned towards him, "really?"

Milo nodded with a slick smile on his lips. "You're gonna go bonkers. Don't know how Rory's gonna keep it in his pants after this scene."

Ross laughed at him. Apparently, Milo didn't read the whole script or just didn't remember that at this point in the movie, in this scene, their characters had already slept together. Many times. Catching Tau in the corner of his eye and nodding his way, Ross stripped of his shirt, putting on the one presented to him by the stylist. There was a black tank under a black short sleeve shirt that showed off the arms he worked like hell for, under a boxy black vest that he left unzipped, the fabric hanging from his sides. He traded in his comfy and worn out jeans for black cargos and his Converses for for combats boots that laced up and around his calves. It was just the right amount of grunge mixed with futurism, something he couldn't have imagined until it was on his person.

The stylist pricked and pulled a various threads on the clothes, clipping the looseness tighter where it needed to be and letting fabric stay put where it needed to be. He had to admit, it was a cool look. Glancing back in the mirror to the guys behind him, they each had different appearances. Harrison, as a guard, was what he could only describe as steampunk - a large brown coat engulfing his frame, with a cartridge sash around it all. Ross could only think of Captain Malcolm Reynolds from _Firefly_ when he looked at him now.

Milo was much different too. As Ridayh, the peaceful conservationist who protects the only land mass on the planet, his look was more reserved. A grey robe swept on the floor behind him and Ross felt all he needed was a light saber to become a Jedi. Eion on the other hand, was dressed more like he was, but only just a bit. His clothes were grey, with a all weather vest and water resistant boots, rather than combat ones. With thicker rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose and a dark navy beanie on his head, Ross could see his character, Jose, come to life.

Checking himself out one more time in the mirror, Alex popped his head inside the office. "How we doing in here? Wow, good day Ridayh, Watson, and Jose, and a definite good morning to Rory. How's everyone like their looks?"

A resounding grumble came from all four of them and Ross watched Alex smirk.

"Yea, that's what I got from everyone else too. Let's head out," Alex waved his clipboard and muttered call words into his walkie talkie. "We'll be starting on the scene you all read in the van this morning in about a half hour. So, in the meantime, I'm going to hand you off to Olympia, who is in charge of all the animals here right now. She's going to introduce to some very important cast members."

The guys joined their cast mates, Gale, Brian, and almost everyone else besides Laura and Yaya, before they met Olympia. Everyone started to size everyone up, checking out the clothes on each. Ross was liking this movie even more. They weren't uniform and he was loving that. Each character had their own distinct look; some were colorful, while others were not. Some were tight on their bodies, some where looser and some just plain weird. Ross circled around Beth for a while, trying to figure out just what her character was really about. Her blonde hair had been covered in a blue wig and pulled into a ponytail with gold coils around it and her usual brown eyes had been turned gold thanks to colored contacts. Around her orbs though, the makeup department had made Kytla seem even more alien than just her clothes and hair. Yellow and orange colors lined her skin, making the gold eyes stand out even further and added specs of spark - he just could not take his eyes off of her.

Her outfit was another story altogether. Loose yarn gathered around her neck in a collar that developed into a short crop top that also turned into a light blue. Her hands were covered in the same fabric with only the tips of her fingers visible, her arms were covered in the same material up to her elbows and the skirt she was wearing was the same light blue color that had an asymmetrical cut to it. Underneath the cut, the same fabric cascaded down her legs in an opaque white hue with side strings hanging from her hips.

"Stop staring Lynch," she told him, her dark lips moving in front of his face.

"I don't think I can. This works for you."

She laughed at his declaration. "Why, thank you, but I don't think I'm going to make this my regular get up."

"I'd reconsider it," he suggested to her as Olympia greeted them.

"Hi everyone. Sorry about that. I'm Olympia, the reserve keeper here and your main contact with our animals. We have two elephants, four leopards, a beautiful rhino who is my absolute favorite, and we also have some wildebeest, zebra, hyenas and you'll fall in love with our penguins and owl. But first, Livhu, is our giraffe," she pointed up to the animal right behind her. "I'm hoping you were briefed on him before hand, but we can't really have a ton of people around him at one time. He's very skittish."

They all nodded towards her, understanding the state of the animal.

"Why is he that skittish?" Margarita, who also played one of Revon's guards, Rigby, asked her.

"When he was younger, he barely survived a freak stampede and ever since then, he's been agoraphobic. We'd hoped that this opportunity could help him, so cross fingers," Olympia turned her head from the group to Livhu and back again. "But anyhow, let's go meet some animals."

* * *

><p>Hair. There was so much hair. Sure, her real hair had been thick to begin with and easy to curl up for occasions, but this was another thing altogether. Extensions were added on, pieces of it were curled up and had been pinned to her head so they wouldn't loose their bounce. Once a light brunette, she was now a honey tone and her brown eyes had turned blue in the blink of one. Looking back in the mirror at herself, Laura didn't even recognize herself. Magellan was kind of hot, if she had to say.<p>

"How you do like it so far, miss?" the stylist, Ellie, asked her, running her fingers through all the hair once more and re-pinning some pieces.

"It's...different. It will take me a while to get used to it."

"I'm sure it will. Ah, Mr. Long, welcome," Ellie greeted the director as he leaned back against the ledge to look at his leading lady.

"Woah, Ellie, you've out done yourself," he complimented the stylist and looked Laura over for the final approval. During the two weeks prior in the States, they had done hair and eye tests, deciding that the deep blonde and blue eyes worked, but now, as Stevenson looked her over, she was worried that it would all be changed...and she was right, almost. "Do you like the blue contacts, Laura?"

"Honestly?" she asked and he nodded. "Not really. I mean, they're okay to wear, but I don't think Magellan is a blonde haired, blue eyed girl."

"I think you're right. Let's nix the contacts, go back to your brown eyes, which I prefer. What about the hair?"

"Now that, I love. Love, love, love," she smiled, meaning every word that came from her mouth. She really did love the hair Ellie did on her. It was so pretty, and she'd never been a bonafide blond before.

"Wonderful. Okay, the others are almost done with the animal tour, which you'll get later on. But, contacts out, hair covered, robe still on. We want Ross to actually be surprised about this."

"I will need copies of his reaction from the pictures you plan to take," Laura reminded him.

"You got it. See you on set," Stevenson gave her a thumbs up and left the building as Ellie pulled a thin sheet of fabric over her hair and clipping it back.

Ellie packed her apron and fanny pack to the brim with styling products for just Laura alone and reached for her hand when she was done. "Alright, Ms. Magellan, let's go knock Rory off his feet."

Laura got up from her chair, grabbing Ellie's hands and keeping the script sides in her other. Double checking that her robe was covering up everything and her hair was still covered up, she followed Ellie off to set and braced herself for a reveal like no other. It wasn't that she was dolled up like a princess or anything, in fact, she was far from it. It was just that this look, this was not her at all. It was a look she'd never done before and seeing Ross' reaction to her, because he was in fact playing her love interest, was a thing she was looking forward to. Saying hello to a few crew members and smiling at Alex as she went by, Laura caught sight of the Jenna in her yellow frock across the way with the others, Ross included. He looked good in black, she had always thought that. His hair was shorter, she noticed first off, and watched him closely as he approached the set once again. He was talking away with Godfrey about something and she felt her nerves rise in her throat about this reveal. She didn't know how this compared to a bride showing her groom her wedding dress, but it almost did feel like that type of situation.

"You covered it all up," Jenna's voice faltered at her modest state.

"I had to. Stevenson's orders," Laura explained, the group now around her watching. "Wait, I want blue hair. Beth, can we trade?"

"Oh no, I'm keeping this," Beth laughed at her, pumping up the back of her ponytail.

"Ross," Stevenson called him and he came to the front like the principal was called the obedient student. "Before we reveal Laura's look to you, everyone remember this scene right? Ross, you're in love with Laura. Gale and Brian have just dropped the bomb that she can't escape this future and you're wanting to kick their asses."

"Yep. Sounds like a good time," Ross joked.

Gale snorted from behind him, "Just you wait, McLaren. Just you wait."

"Okay, everyone else to set. Ross, stay here," Stevenson told the others and Alex and a few other assistants pulled the others away. "Ready?" he turned to Laura.

"Yep," she confirmed, popping the 'p' as Ellie pulled the fabric on her head away and blonde hair shining in the sunlight. While Ross watched as Magellan was revealed before his eyes, Ellie ran her fingers through unpinned curls, framing them away and towards her face as needed. The hair was long and she did her best to make her into this woman that Rory, or Ross, could not resist. Discarding her robe, Laura smirked over at Ross as his eyes grew wider. A tape ribbon knitted dress hugged her small frame, gathering in all the right places and making his eyes run up and down her body. The dress was also long, brushing just so against the grass of the earth's floor. She had simple slippers on at the moment, still making her almost a full foot shorter than him. On top of the dress were what she liked to call spiked shoulder pads, but the wardrobe department said they were epaulettes. They were ornamental accessories that laid light on her shoulder and twinkled colors upon colors in the South African sun with small chains running down her arm. "Well?" she glanced at Ross for any comment.

The makeup artist slipped in then, putting a bit more color on her lips for the sun and got of there just as quickly while Ross walked up to her. His eyes weren't roaming anymore, but they were looking straight at her, into her cocoa-filled brown eyes. Ross' hand grabbed her own, his fingers rolling over the one ring on her right hand. "You look gorgeous," he paused. "And you're blonde."

"Oh, Mr. Lynch, beautiful is more like it."

"To some, yes. But Laura knows me."

"And gorgeous is the highest," Laura smiled big at him. "You like it? Really?"

"Yea," Ross nodded and winked at her. "Rory is one lucky guy."


	7. seven

Laura was burning up in her fluffy cloud-like robe as she stood just behind the cameras, watching as Ross as he kicked Godfrey's butt to the ground. The scene was intense, just like the entire movie was. It was the scene where Rory took things into his own hands and fought against Revon's army to get back to Magellan; no matter what it took. Rory was resorting to the violence his character hated. Ross' face was stern and he was driven at the moment, not bringing his eyes up for a moment from Godfrey's. Any distractions and he'd kill the scene for sure. Her hands in the pockets of the robe, she listened in carefully for the dialogue before Alex bought over some headphones for her.

"Thanks," she whispered, putting them on quickly to tune in.

"You did all of this," Ross' voice dominated the fight scene in front of her eyes. "All of it!"

Godfrey and Ross scuffled into the grassland while heading towards the river just ahead. Yaya and Mark followed to two, trying to get Ross, as Rory, under control from Godfrey, who played Malloy, Revon's right hand man and prisoner. Malloy was a tricky character to comprehend, as far as she read. He was a prisoner, who had escaped the future Earth's only jail and after he was captured again, was put under lock and key and Revon's stern eyes. His story was secretive and no one knew his true intentions.

"Give me a reason not to kill you!" Ross screamed at him, the river bank just a step away now as he pulled out the sword he had captured from Godrey's wardrobe and pressed it to the thin skin of his neck.

"Don't do this Rory," Yaya, as Danielle, warned him. "Don't do this. She wouldn't forgive you."

"Yes, she would," Ross said confidently.

"Think about that," she told him. "This girl, who believes in all the good in your heart, would forgive you for killing a possibly innocent man?"

"He's not innocent!" Ross whipped his head back at Yaya and that's where the scene changed again. Godfrey pulled the sword from Ross' hands and flipped it on him, pressing the sharp blade into his shoulder.

An all-knowing smile emerged on Godfrey's lips then, "Got that right."

"And cut!" Stevenson shouted and headed out to chat with the actors in the scene. "Okay, that was great. Godfrey, can you do a little less innocent when Ross is kicking your ass. A bit more scared to what he would actually do to you."

"Got it."

"And Ross. Just a bit more roughness. This isn't just Magellan he took away from you. Think of it as..." Stevenson tried to think before he looked straight at Laura with her headphones still on. "Think of it like Laura was dying. On her death bed, barely breathing. This guy," Stevenson pulled Godfrey next to him, "poisoned her and he's glad he did it."

Ross nodded and that's all Laura could see. She knew Stevenson knew she was listening in and watching but was still just as shocked as he said that to get Ross motivated even more.

"Rolling...and action."

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right now! Give it to me...now!" Ross leaned into the piece of metal extending from his hand and Laura knew Godfrey felt it, the blade eerily close to actually cutting him. "You have no idea what you did. She, she was everything."

Yaya started to pull him back, but Ross stood his ground, eyes slanting and grief becoming more evident in his face. "...She wouldn't forgive you, Rory. Think about that. This girl, who believes in all the good in your heart, all of us, would forgive you for killing a possibly innocent man?"

"He's not innocent!" Ross looked back at Yaya again on cue, a cry coming out of him as Godfrey flipped the blade onto him once again.

"Got that right."

"Cut! That was perfect!"

Laura's hands covered her mouth and she almost jumped out of her shoes as an crew assistant tapped her on the shoulder.

"Sorry, miss," the young boy apologized.

Laura quickly apologized to him and followed him towards wardrobe once again. Looking back behind her once more, she know really knew why Ross was Rory.

* * *

><p>The week went by fairly fast for them both. Scenes were shot and by the end of it all, they had a full sequence to be proud of. Now, there were only 16 more weeks to go. Falling back on his bed, Ross just wanted to sleep and sleep and sleep until Monday came and he was going to do just that...until knocks on the wall came from you know who's room and a groan came from him in return.<p>

"Please!" he heard her voice through the wall.

"No!"

"Come on!"

"No!"

"Please, please, please, please, please," she begged some more. "You can't say no!"

"Yes, I can," he yelled back, burying his face into the soft, heavenly pillows.

"But it's food. You never say no to food," she reasoned and for the most part she was right. But at the moment, sleep was trumping food.

The cast, sans Summer Glau and Brian D'Arcy who were filming another scene in a hotel across the way, had made plans to get 'their local on' - whatever that meant. He had heard food, bars, everything was in the plans for tonight and the day afterwards. The way he saw it was that he could join tomorrow, if (and it was a big if) he emerged from his bed at all. He didn't know when she stopped trying to convince him or when he fell asleep, but he did and as his eyes opened from the deep hibernation, it was past two in the morning.

Noticing that he was still in the clothes he dressed in this morning, Ross sat up and rubbed his hands over his face before pulling his shirt and jeans off, leaving him in just his boxer briefs. Looking out from his bed towards the balcony, his eyes sprang wide open when he saw the stars blinking back at him from the night sky. They were stunning. The ones he frequently, or sort of saw in Los Angeles, were dim and the only constellations he could pick out where the normal ones - Big Dipper, Orion's Belt. Here they were different and they were fantastic. A yawn escaping his body, Ross crashed back onto his bed and vowed to save the star gazing for another day.

His mind drifted into dreamland once again and before he knew it, the sun was streaming into the open balcony and beckoning him to wake up once more. He wanted to pull the blankets over his head and succumb to even further dreams, but that wasn't going to happen. Not as long as his stomach kept talking to him. Glancing at the clock on the dresser, 8:34 blinked in red back at him. Eight a.m. He hadn't been up this early on his own in a while, except the "Ross Conquers LA Traffic Day", of course. Pulling himself out of bed, he jumped in the shower and made it out of his room in a record time. He wasn't sure what he was doing up this early, as all of them had the day off, but he was ready to explore.

The moment he shut his door however, another person zoomed behind him, running towards the elevators. A soft honey hued hair color and much shorter than him, he knew it was Laura.

"Hey, wait up!" he called to her.

"Run, Ross. I can't be late."

"Woah, white rabbit. Why the rush?" He stepped into the elevator and such frantically pushed the lobby button on the panel.

"I have flight lessons in an hour and they're waiting for me downstairs," she told him, not looking up from her phone and quickly answering any and almost every message on it. "Wanna come?"

"I'll pass," he laughed at her invitation. "There's food here and a city to explore."

"You missed out last night," she teased him. "We got Gale to karaoke."

"What? Seriously?"

"You're going to become The Blitz if you say no again tonight," Laura finally looked up at him, her rich eyes burning back into his. She wore no makeup, not an ounce and he just now remembered how breathtaking she was. "You remember that episode, right?"

"Yea, I remember it. My favorite one," he offered her a smile before she bolted from the dumbwaiter they were on and headed straight for the lobby.

"Tonight, 6 o'clock," she yelled back. "You're not getting out of it."

And he wasn't going to.

* * *

><p>This airport wasn't like Cape Town International at all. There were no terminals, the roads leading up to the buildings were all dirt and there was only one plane waiting on the abandoned air strip. It was the plane. The one she'd be taking up into the air finally and floating around the area. Nervous didn't even begin to describe how she felt right now. Apprehensive, anxious, excited - they were all over the place.<p>

"Hi Laura," Ellie greeted her as soon as she stepped out of the open air Jeep she and a few others had taken out to the airport.

"Hi, Ellie."

"Good morning, Miss Marano," Peter Madsen, a lieutenant in South Africa's Air Force greeted her in his full uniform. "Are you ready for today?"

"As I'll ever be," she confessed, walking beside him into one of the twelve separated buildings on the site. Laura had had two training sessions before this and they were both in a simulator in one of the adjacent buildings, and she had also gone up in the air with Peter earlier in the week too. This would be the first time she'd be doing it alone - or so she thought.

"You'll do great," he assured her as she placed her bag onto a vacant table next to Ellie.

"Can I run the simulator one more time?"

"If you feel you need to, of course. You know where it is."

Waving her on, Laura headed straight for the building next door and took her seat in front of the machine that was almost an exact replica of the plane she'd fly later in the day. She was more confident today than she had been a few days ago when she was here, but today was different. Today was the day she was going to take an Atlas Cheetah D up into the air. That was 14,550 pounds of weight with a wing span of almost 27 feet. It wasn't a large plane, but it was a fierce one, especially since, with an experienced pilot with her, could go to Mach 2. She wouldn't be doing that, but it was good to know that she possibly could. Taking the simulator's plane for a ride over the Cape Town satellite images was easy now and she was ready...she hoped. The thing that always got her though, was landing, as she was sure was the case for any beginner pilot. Laura was just glad Magellan wasn't at sea and she didn't have to the land a plane on an actual ship. That, she would never get right. Steering the nose down just slightly, Laura breathed out her tight breaths and brought the body of the plane down to the tarmac as softly as she could. The thing about the simulator was that everything was made to seem real. So, if you made one tiny little error, you felt it and she had definitely felt it in her previous lessons and...she was feeling it now. A shake there, a shake there and then her chair was going insane, the steering jingling in her hands.

"Steady Laura, steady," she told herself, regaining her composition and bringing the plane back up again for another try. This was only her first go-around and she prayed she wouldn't have to do that in the air today. One more time around, she angled the plane just so again and flipped the controls for the landing gear. _Five, four, three, two, one_, she slowly counted in her head, feeling a soft landing onto the simulator's tarmac. Internally she was screaming in delight that her landing was near perfect but on the outside she couldn't show her delight - not just yet. To do that, she'd have to be in the actual plane.

Heading back out of the flight simulator building and back to where Ellie and Peter were, she was surprised to see Stevenson and a couple of camera crews waiting on her. "Hey guys," she greeted them.

"My Magellan," Stevenson greeted her, as he did every time, by her character and gave her a hug. "I know you weren't planning on this, but we going to film a bit of you today."

"You are?"

"Just some quick shots that will be included in Magellan's backstory," he informed her, pulling out some papers with the scenes he was planning.

"Okay," she took them and paused. "Wait, is that really why Ellie's here?" Stevenson sheepishly smiled at her.

"Honestly, Laura. I only came with Peter this morning because we have a date tonight," Ellie admitted. Laura had found out earlier in the week that he lieutenant and hair stylist had been a couple for quick some time and just had welcomed a baby girl together named Xandra and from the pictures she had seen on Ellie's phone, she was adorable and the happiest baby she'd ever seen. "I got the call from Stevenson just before you got here."

Laura nodded, going back to the scene in her hands as she sat down and Ellie worked her magic. Laura had thrown her hair up into a ponytail this morning and was planning to fix it up nice for later tonight but with Ellie here, maybe she wouldn't have to. She ran her eyes over the scene they were going to be filming and Stevenson was right, of course. It was just a bit of backstory and there weren't many lines to actually memorize. It was more about the motions and lucky for her, Peter was going to be put in the film for it. He would be her commanding officer and giving her Magellan's first plane from the Air Force for her next expedition.

"Can we change this?" Peter asked, holding up the paper before sitting down next to her and Stevenson. "Instead of mayday, she should say pan pan."

"Isn't mayday the accepted one though?" she questioned.

"It is, so is pan pan. I might be wrong, but isn't Magellan an experienced pilot in this movie and very self-reliant? She'd be more trying to fix the problem before calling a mayday."

Laura looked over to Stevenson and he nodded. "Okay. So, can you give me the new line?"

"How about something like, 'Snow to Ground. Snow to Ground. Frosty AF9124 has found gold. Frosty AF9124 has found gold'? What this tells the ground is your plane's name and tail number, plus gives them the heads up you found whatever treasure this is."

"Switch it up," Stevenson approved it right then. "What else is there?"

"You're going to want to use any and all phonetics that you can. In this instance, phonetics are going to help you a lot, at least in the air."

The scene they were going over centered on Magellan right when she was greeted back by the Air Force and a team of special forces to discuss excavation of the site.

Laura nodded, glancing at Stevenson who was flipping back through his master copy of the script and pulling it closer to Peter. "Can you take a look at this part too? We had a few officers in the States look at it for accuracy, but I want to make sure."

"Of course," Peter nodded while Laura was being transformed into her alter ego for the day.

A few curls and a bit of makeup later, Peter was taking Laura out to the plane.

"Okay, this is Cheetah," he patted the metal as they walked along the side of it. "It's different from the plane we went up earlier. She's got two seats, so I'll actually be in the seat behind you the first time up and then this guy over here will be with you on the second for filming. She has two 30mm DEFA cannons and four rockets on her. We made some fake missiles for her too. Under no circumstances you are to touch those switches. Got it?"

"Definitely not."

"Good. So, if you are ready, let's get you in the air."

Her helmet was on top of the hair Ellie had just fixed up, safety glasses over her eyes and she pulled herself up into the cockpit for the ride. This was it. She was really going to fly a plane...

...and it was fantastic. The smile on her face just would not go away as she double checked the engine and secured the switches on the control panel. She had circled around the area for twenty minutes, listening to Peter over her earpiece giving her simple instructions about going a bit slower or gliding instead of powering through. The windshield pulled back and fresh air hit her face and she looked over to her side to see Peter heading down and Stevenson coming up by the plane.

"What was that?!" Stevenson shouted, her smile still so big and his almost mimicking hers.

"Magellan Snow was just born!" she shouted back. Laura waited patiently, pulling the scene from inside her airman wardrobe and running it back through her mind as a stunt man, suited up in all green, made his way inside. Cameramen followed him, making sure the cameras they had set up inside were working properly and anchored down. In just under ten minutes, Magellan would come to life again; and she couldn't wait. If acting didn't work out beyond this, becoming a pilot was now on her to-do list.

* * *

><p>His feet were up, he was surrounded by beautiful women and Ross didn't really think his day could get any better...until Laura walked in, that is. After her flight this afternoon, something she insisted on not talking about until everyone was around so she didn't have to answer the same questions over and over again, Ross had waited patiently for her to get ready for what she had promised him would be one of the best nights of his life. It was almost six now and he was still waiting, but looking at her now as she walked over to the group, it was well worth it.<p>

Laura wasn't overdressed, but she wasn't a complete slob either. Her hair was pulled into a funky braid that looped in and out in places he hadn't seen done before (not that he was an expert on women's hair or anything, even though it was something that Rydel had been obsessed over for the past year or so since she cut her her own), and her nude lips and smokey eyes reeled him and a few other guys around the hotel's bar in. But that wasn't what they were really looking at. No, they were looking at the black sheer top she wore that showed off the lacy bra underneath. Ross knew Laura was beautiful, but as a friend, he didn't think 'hot' was something he could refer to her as...until now, that is. Suddenly Milo's words came back to him: _Like sex on heels hot._

Not only was her bra on full display, but her legs were as well, as they jutted out from ripped jean cut offs. She was 5'2", there should not be that much leg to show - but there was and he didn't think he remembered how to blink or wipe his drool away before the other Laura, who the cast had been calling Lala like she asked them too, snapped him out of his trance with her fingers.

"You know your face will stay like that if you don't blink, right?"

He snapped out of it then, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at her as she went to greet Laura. Turning back around in his chair by the fire pit, Ross poured the rest of his drink into his mouth, quickly swallowing before the burn of the bourbon came.

"So, someone told me you're already drunk," her voice came before he knew it and he turned to see her pretty face. "That wasn't the deal. The deal was that we get drunk together, at the bars, which are not in this hotel."

"Not drunk, I swear," he held his hands up before his arm went around her shoulders and they walked towards the others waiting in the lobby for them. "Who told you that?"

"I'm not giving anyone up," she laughed at him, escaping from under his arm and tugging on his hand to hurry up. "Now, come on. We have about ten bars to hit tonight."

"Ten?!"

* * *

><p>They were doing it. All of them. All nine that chose to go out together were going to do karate water shots together. Again. The bar staff had convinced the tourists, like they were, to give it a try. So, there they all sat - her, Ross, Jenna, Yaya, Lala, Milo, Godfrey, Harrison and Margarita - looking at the shots in front of them and not one was willing to go first. They had heard the locals around them talking about the drink and how it induced a drunken bravado with a few glasses. This was only their third, and for most, their last time, but the 'drunken bravado' both challenged them all and scared them off.<p>

"Okay guys, on three," Harrison said, putting his hand around the glass and counting down. "One, two, three."

Flicking the liquid back into their throats, the nine set the glasses back down and waited for whatever the side effects were to emerge from their state of being. Of course, the side effects hit some faster than others - Margarita and Ross in particular. Apparently they got drunk off of brandy, which Laura would be keeping in her back pocket for Ross. While he wasn't as tipsy as she would've been if it was a Seven and Seven, he was still leaning towards that side of the table more than the other.

"Okay, now some real drinks," Milo said, signaling the bartender for brews and cocktails before asking Laura about her big flight earlier in the day and as promised, she shared everything with them.

From the take off to the surprise scene she filmed to the part where she almost lost control of the fighter plane, Laura spilled everything to them. She told them about the simulator and Peter getting a small part as her commanding officer; she told them about the uniform she wore and how she wished she could keep it because of how cool it was and comfy too.

"Okay, now I want to fly a plane" Yaya said, sipping on her martini. "Even if it's that simulator."

"It was so cool you guys. I swear if I fall out of love with acting, I'm going into the flying business."

"Just as long as I'm not in the co-pilot's seat with you, I'm good," Ross said, earning a laugh from everyone else and a scoff from her.

"Hey! I'm a good pilot."

"You've flown the plane, what, two times?"

"You get mean when you're drunk."

"I'm not drunk," he told her, ignoring the protests of the others just as the waitress brought him another beer.

"Ross, how does Laura look tonight?" Jenna piped in, testing out the waters.

"Like sex in heels."

"Oh yea, you're drunk," Laura was convinced. There was no way in any kind of hell he would ever refer to her as hot. She was always gorgeous or pretty. Never hot.

Jenna leaned over to Milo then, "So about that pool?"

"You want in?" he winked at her, watching the two lifelong friends in front of them flirt even though they didn't know it.

"Oh yea. Definitely."

"Me too," Yaya got into their conversation. "Three months, two days."

"Put me at fourteen weeks. What is that? Three months, one week?"

Milo penciled their dates into his phone, keeping track of everyone's bet, even Stevenson's. Brian and Mark's dates had already passed, and Gale's, of course had as well. The ones still in the running were just about everyone but Karen, who was keeping away from Laura for the sake of the movie. Milo bet that if she were in it though, she'd win it all. They were only a week into filming now and he was banking on his own two months winning. He needed it to win. _Come on, Lynch. Confess your undying love already._


	8. eight

Ellie pulled Laura's hair down from it's now sticky bun. She had been out in the sun all day which was a drastic change to where they had been filming for the past month. While the first week, they had been out in Little Karoo, the next ones had been spent inside a historical hotel and on the coast line of Cape Town where the movie's core Ten had been thrown together and told they either save the planet or die. Now back in the forest for the day, Laura had been "Magellanized", as Ellie put it. Her aurous hair had been pulled into a wild ponytail and once Ellie had pulled it down from it, she shook her head like you see in the hair commercials; although it wasn't the sleekest or silky shining hair that you see. It was real hair, that was a bit frizzy and dry and at the moment, all over the place.

Laura closed her eyes as Ellie worked more magic on it. From frizzy and dry to yes, the silky hair you all envy over in the previously mentioned commercials. Just one of the perks of being an actress - people to make you glamorous every day, and on this particular day, she was more than thankful for Ellie giving her the star treatment on her hair. The scenes today were rough just because it was her and Summer, racing against Godfrey and Gale, across hills towards Table Mountain. To say she was tired was an understatement and with Ellie's fingers in her hair, she felt like she could fall asleep. Laura didn't even dare to take off the flat sneakers wardrobe gave her yet. She knew both of her feet were red as roses and didn't want to see if blood had actually been reached.

Hearing someone plop down beside her in the hair trailer, she poked one eye open to see Ross scrolling through his phone and most likely checking his emails. She had to admit that filming a movie 10,000 miles away and 10 hours ahead from what they knew was a bit difficult. Emails were answered almost a full day after, phone calls were missed and important messages or urgent things that needed approvals right away were never touched.

"Anything good?" she asked him.

"Oh yea. I got Riker in a Pink Ladies jacket," he said, opening up the image and showing it to both her and Ellie. "I have a weird brother."

"You do know you have more than one, right?"

"True. Very true," Ross put his finger to his nose, signaling she was right on the money about that.

"But you miss them," she finished his thought for him. "I told you you would." He sent her a wink before going through more messages and Laura returned to her state of heaven, thanks to Ellie. "Wait, why are you still here? Didn't the other van leave?"

"Yep. Stevenson asked me to stay. Said he had something to talk with us about."

"Oh," Laura said, racking her brain for why...and then it dawned on her. Reaching for the next day's itinerary, her eyes roamed down the call sheet and the scene number which she quickly referenced with her script. "Ross. It's the scene."

"What scene?" Ross glanced at her quickly and back at his phone, still scrolling down either his inbox or text messages.

"The scene, the scene," she emphasized, showing him the call sheet for tomorrow, pointing straight at the line that read: SNOW (1). MCLAREN (3). SCENE 41 PREP.

"Why are you freaking out about it?" Ross raised his eyebrow at her.

"You do know what scene 41 is right?" Laura started to read off the scene intro to him from the script. "Rory enters with a tray and rag on his shoulder. He pours the treatment he made onto the rag and takes a seat on a rolling chair. And his first line is..."

"I need you to take your shirt off."

"So you do know the scene."

"Of course I do."

"Then how are you not a bit freaked out over it? I mean, it's where..."

"We sleep together," he finished for her, not breaking his calm and collected demeanor on bit.

Laura eyed Ross, a bit puzzled to see that he wasn't any bit fazed by the fact that they were going to be filming a very deep and powerful love scene in just two days time. She, on the other hand, was getting her freak out on early. She had done love scenes before - some with Freddie, some with older actors, and even one with a girl - but this was different. This was Ross. With his blonde hair and irresistible smile and lips that she knew were addicting. After sharing many kisses as Austin and Ally, Laura knew his lips could cause anyone to obsess over them. She wouldn't and couldn't admit this to anyone but herself, but she had dreamed of how it would be with him. Passionate, extreme, extraordinary - that's how it would be, whether it be a scene like this or real.

She could even see and predict the fans' reactions to it now, going mad and crazy to finally see Austin Moon and Ally Dawson in a much more mature way; in a way they probably wrote fan fiction stories about and made trailers for episodes that didn't exist. It would be heaven for them.

"Alright," Stevenson, with Alex behind him, came into the trailer then as Ellie said her goodbyes. The director took a seat between them and took off his glasses to speak. "I'm sure you both saw the call sheet tomorrow. On Thursday, we'll be shooting scene 41 where Magellan and Rory give into their emotions and tension. I wanted to make sure both of you are ready; knowing your friendship and all."

All Laura could do was nod at him as Ross spoke up then. "We'll be okay with it."

"Yea," Laura echoed. "I've done a lot of love scenes. Nothing different about this one at all." But there was. She looked back at Ross just to see if he had any reaction to her words - nothing. At least none that she could see at the moment.

"If you're both sure, then great and just to up the scene...we want you to go on a date tonight," Stevenson looked between the two of them as they both perked up then, eyes wide with a bit of shock. "It's on the studio. We're sending you to this amazing estate just outside of Cape Town and if you don't fall in love with the place, something is wrong with you both."

"A date," Ross looked over at Laura and shrugged. "I'm in. Are we leaving right now?"

"A car will be here in about an hour. Wardrobe is available to you, as always, for any changes and that. I'm glad you two are in for this. I know when we did the table read, it seemed like both of you just passed it over. I want to make sure you know that this is a very serious scene for the movie. It puts these characters in a position that they never expected to be in and this turns everything upside down."

Laura got up from her chair. "We're professionals, Stevenson. We'll go on this date and give you a Magellan and Rory you don't want to give up."

"Good," the director also rose from his seat. "Have fun tonight you two. Do what you would normally do on a first date."

They both watched him leave before looking at each other again. "Does that mean we hook up? Because, I'm not going to lie, that's what I sometimes do and I don't think I want to do that with you," Ross confessed.

"Gee, thanks Ross."

"Laur, I mean, we're best friends. I don't really think of you like that," he told her. Lies. All lies.

"Same here." More lies. In the weeks that had passed, their characters had shared almost kisses in the movie. There were intimate gestures, protecting, everything that would really sweep a girl off of her feet. They were both lying over the fact that their friendly feelings hadn't turned that way. "I'm going to go see wardrobe. If we're going to an estate, I'm no where near dressed for it."

"I don't think I am either. Look, Laura," Ross stopped her before she left the hair trailer altogether. "If we're supposed to think of this as a real date, then let me ask you properly."

"Ask me?"

"Yea, ask you," Ross cleared his throat, running out of the trailer and leaving her behind for a moment before returning with pink King Protea flower from the area. "Please be my date tonight?"

"You're so weird," Laura told him, gladly taking the flower from him anyway. "Yes, Rory, I'd love to go out with you tonight."

"Great. I'll pick you up in," he pulled out his watch on his wrist, and spat out a random number for her. "Twenty minutes?"

"Give me thirty," she nodded. So, she was indeed going out with Ross...or Magellan was with Rory. This was going to get interesting.

* * *

><p>Legs. It was all about her legs for him and the dress she had on was not helping their date or their conversation because all he kept focusing on was her legs; her silky, smooth and shiny legs that were taunting him, telling him to touch them. The dress she had grabbed from the wardrobe department wasn't a ball gown, but it wasn't rags either. A dark navy in color, the fabric covered up all of her torso, a saggy bow coming down over her breasts from the high collar. The rest of the dress though, it was torturing. Two mid-thigh slits cut up the fabric so which ever way she chose to cross her legs or walk in any way, they taunted and teased his eyes and his hands; almost showing everything there was to offer. Something he told her not two hours ago that he wouldn't ever want. <em>Liar! <em>his head screamed back at him. Yep, he was a total liar.

Her arms were almost bare except for the small watch on her left wrist and sparkling bracelet on her right. She wore only a few rings on her right hand and he had only noticed those because of the way her fingers circled the top of her wine glass, making a soothing sound he didn't expect from it. Ross didn't know what he would do if this was a real real date with her because if conversation was what helped a date along, he had none. It was those legs! When did he become a leg man?

"Are you okay?" Laura asked from across the table, pulling her menu down just a tad and watching where his eye line exactly was. Stretching the thin fabric back over her right leg, Ross snapped out of it...if only for a minute. "So, you're a leg guy."

"Huh? Um..." Ross stammered. How was he supposed to respond to that?

"Legs. That's what does it for you. I picked the right dress, apparently," she smiled, taking another sip of the wine in front of her. Red lips, red wine, and a blue dress he could rip to shreds right in front of him. What was going on?

"The dress is nice," he held it in. No need to jump over the table and take her right there. At least, not yet. "I always thought myself a boob guy," he admitted, holding his hands up like he was squeezing imaginary ones and watched her face light up. The chuckles came out strong and loud; that amazing, Laura laugh that he had missed over the five years he'd been away from her. "Was that funny or something?"

"You have no idea," Laura got her breathing under control after her laugh attack.

Smiling back, Ross repositioned himself in his seat on the other side of the private table. When Stevenson had said the place was nice, he wasn't joking. Not in one bit. The Delaire Graff Estate was not only breathtaking in views, but in ambience as well. The restaurant they were currently dining in had two parts to it - the inside that was filled with lush velvets and so many candles you couldn't help but feel out of place if you weren't there on a date; and the outside deck, where the night was literally glittering with tiny diamonds in the sky; like the ones he had seen the other night, the stars were just fantastic and mesmerizing.

"Can we treat this like we're our characters tonight? I know that sounds silly, but I think it might help us," Laura suggested to him. The date wasn't awkward at the moment, it was just...stalled, if that was the right word.

"As Rory and Magellan?"

"Yea. Like a blind date or something," she placed her wine glass back on the table, leaning back in her seat. "Give them a backstory of meeting in another life where they were this amazing couple, torn by time and put back in this screwed up new Earth."

"You been watching The Time Traveler's Wife again?" She looked away, and it got him re-thinking. She wasn't watching it; she was reading it. She was a bookworm through and through. "I like the idea though," he agreed. "So, your name is Magellan?" he asked, slipping right into the mind of Rory and thinking of this as a blind date with Captain Magellan Snow.

"I know, it's a weird name. My parents were, still are, obsessed with exploration. I have an older brother named Christopher and sister called Cortessa."

"No nicknames at all? I feel like Magellan is worthy of a cool nickname."

"No nicknames. So if you call me Maggie or Mags, I will walk out on this date right now," Laura, as her character, sternly told him; and she was right. No way in hell would Magellan have a nickname nor would allow it.

"Got it. Job? Is it weird too?"

She laughed, nodding. "Very weird and kind of secretive."

"You're not gonna say you'd have to kill me or something if you tell me, right? Oh, you are. Damn."

"Sorry. I can tell you that I'm an Airman though. Just earned the rank of Captain."

"Wow, that's pretty cool. Congratulations," Ross picked up own his glass of wine and toasted to her.

"What about you? What does Rory McLaren do?"

"I'm a doctor actually. But I don't do all that modern medicine crap," he explained, seeing the questions in her eyes as she placed the menu down and immersed herself in this fake date. "Long story short is that a patient of mine was misdiagnosed by a colleague and he didn't double check dosages or medicines before he died. I was furious and almost quit the whole occupation. The patient was a really good friend of mine," Ross reflected on Rory's backstory and how he took the road of holistics instead of modern medicine. "So I chose to go on another path. Joined Doctors Without Borders and have been based in South America for the past few years."

"Wow, I didn't expect that."

"What did you expect?"

"Um, don't think bad of me but when I look at you, I just automatically think surfer guy. But I like the doctor," Laura's hand covered his. "It's very noble what you did. You probably gave up a good cushion to do this line of work."

"I did," he confirmed, starting to play with her fingers on his as their waiter came to get their orders. Once he left, Ross and Laura went quiet as some cool winds passed by them on the deck. "Are you cold?"

She shook her head. "Not yet, but thank you for asking."

"I'm a nice guy like that."

"Good to know," her lips curved up into a smile and she looked out to the view of Table Mountain and the Valley of the Red Gods. While she enjoyed that view, he enjoyed the view of her and wondered that if this was a real date, what he would say next. But he knew the answer to that, if this were a real date for him and Laura, not Magellan and Rory. He'd show her all the embarrassing pictures of Riker as Putzie, tell her that Rydel had sent him a two page long email about how she was fed up with her physics professor and how he wrote a song the other night. That would be later; he would tell her all that later right when he could get a feel of her legs.

"We should climb that," Laura broke their silence and gestured to the mountain top that stood tall over the area, as if to say that the city belonged to it and it was protected.

"Seriously?"

"Yea. I mean, we've done the easy Runyon hikes before. Let's do it."

"Of course Runyon is easy, it's only three and a half miles. Table Mountain is what? 3500? I don't think I'd survive."

"We'd do the cable car and then hike up the rest. I think we could do it."

"Then let's plan on it," he told her. "Bring the others?"

"If we could convince them, then yea. I could just see Milo crapping out on us."

"We'd need video footage for future blackmailing, of course."

Ross and Laura both settled into their fake date, which ended up feeling more real than he expected it to. The food was delicious, the view spectacular and as Ross walked Laura back to her room at the hotel (with her legs still teasing him), he didn't know whether to save the kisses for tomorrow or go for it now.

"So, how do you think Rory would end a date?" he asked her, as she pulled out her keycard.

"You mean, would he kiss Magellan?"

He nodded, watching as she thought about their characters; and it was a good question. Would they kiss or would he just kiss her cheek? Would he call right away or wait the dreaded three days that mostly every girl hated? Would he text or email or would it be a straight phone call? An even better question is would she pick up the phone call, would she return the kiss or welcome him in for coffee?

"I think he would, after asking."

"Well then, can I kiss you Magellan?" he leaned his hand on the door frame, enclosing her to where she couldn't get out from him unless she escaped into her room. Ross saw her nod and he leaned forward slowly then, remembering that this was about Rory and Magellan, not about him and Laura. He was Rory...not Ross. He saw her eyes close and he wiped away a hair from her face, his fingers tracing the curve of her cheek ever so slightly. Why was he this nervous? He wasn't nervous before this. He was never nervous when he was Austin and she was Ally. Tilting her chin up to his, Ross's lips met with hers quickly. It was soft and abrupt and he didn't want to cross a line with her, even if she was acting as Magellan right now.

"That's it?" Laura asked, not opening her eyes at all.

Taking that as a challenge, Ross did her one better and threw caution out the window. His lips captured hers once again, and this time their meeting wasn't hasty, it was slow and something he could definitely get used to. He could taste the after dinner mint on her red stained lips and it sent a current through his being - one that he didn't expect to feel. But just as it started, it ended and leaning back from her again, he picked up the sweet scent of her perfume. Not too fruity or too husky, it was soft and light and was just like Laura.

"So that's what Rory kisses like," Laura opened her eyes, a smile beaming back at him. "Not too bad."

"Not too bad? I think it was more than 'not too bad'."

"You can prove that on Thursday," Laura patted his chest and turned to open her door, but before she entered, she leaned up and pecked him on the lips once more. "Goodnight Rory."

* * *

><p>"You what?!" Jenna almost spit out her tea onto Laura the next day on set. They were back in the historic hotel in downtown Cape Town and one of the suites was being transformed into a white on white on white on top of more white room for their scenes in Edu's capsule. Sitting at a table just outside in their robes to protect their wardrobe for the day, Laura had told her just what happened the night before. From Stevenson setting them up on a date, the dinner, the view, and the kiss. "You kissed Ross and didn't come straight to me afterwards? Have we really not established you should always do this? What was it like? Wait, how long has it been? I might be a treating us to dinner."<p>

"Wait, what?" Laura eyed her friend. "Oh my God, you have a pool going don't you? Jenna!"

"Milo started it, honestly."

"I can see that."

"But seriously though, start telling me everything. Feel, taste, who leaned in first, ten point scale..."

Laura couldn't stop laughing at her British bestie, and set her orange juice down on the table as they chatted ahead of filming today. So she did just what she asked. She indulged her about how Ross' lips felt against hers again. When they had filmed _Austin & Ally_, it was a different kind of kiss. It was Disney after all. Those kisses had to be clean, cute and nothing too suggestive. Five years later, he was older, she was older and the kiss they had shared the night before was much more what she liked. They were both more mature and what they shared, although it was as Rory and Magellan as she kept reminding herself, was a great kiss. It wasn't rushed or full of urgency. It was a kiss that could be full of could-be promises and could-be feelings. As she was telling this all to Jenna, Laura didn't know when she started to think of Ross in that way, but it had happened and now she didn't know what would happen or if she could keep her emotions in control. But she had to, because this was a job and any real emotions entering the equation had to be hidden.

Jenna's short and girly squeals got her attention back from what she imagined a relationship with Ross what actually be like in her mind. "You have no idea how happy I am that this happened! Not because of the pool or anything but because it's you and Ross."

"No, it was Rory and Magellan," she corrected Jenna.

"Same thing."

"No, it wasn't the same thing," Laura pointed out. "As much as the kiss was wonderful, I don't think Ross would've asked me or anything. He'd have just kissed me and not give me a chance to argue."

"Which is exactly what you want, isn't it?"

Laura bit her lip and that was all the confirmation Jenna needed. "Is that bad? I mean, most people think I'm this hopeless romantic and want everything all sweet and sugary, but that's not the case at all."

"I don't think it is," Jenna shook her head as they both heard their names called and made their way onto the set of the day. "Sometimes you just need the man to be the man and get the wind knocked out of you with one flippin' amazing kiss that doesn't end until you wake up in the morning," her sigh overtook their conversation. "Sorry. I miss Richard a bit."

"Welcome Ten!" Stevenson announced as they gathered. "Scene 38. The Ten are realizing that what the counsel are telling them is complete bullshit and you all get angry. Angry to the point of hurting one another," he looked over at Karen for Izel's anger that was the most destructive. "Let's get this scene on. Places."

Heading to her bunk in the gigantic suite that looked more like a sterile infirmary than the luxurious five star resort is was. Gone were the beds, chairs and colors that brought the room to life and in place were clean, white steel plates that jutted out from the walls. Monitors adorned the spaces above each of them, with statistics beeping out at them in blue lettering. Walking over to her station, Laura passed Ross, giving him a double take before mentally slapping herself. _Quit it, Laura_. Hopping up at the table, she crossed her legs and got into Magellan's brain - pilot, mad at the world for being here, now tired of any and every kind of shit going on in the capsule especially with Izel, and wasn't sure what was going on with her and Rory. Yep, all in character now. Ross be gone, hello Dr. McLaren.

"Rolling!" Stevenson shouted as she leaned back on her palms behind her back. "Action!"

This was possibly the only scene where she didn't have a ton of lines and was really there listening to the others fight. Magellan had already fought as much as she could the moment she woke up and in this particular scene, she was tired of fighting anyone, but little did she know she would be fighting anyway. David, who played the wise and older Amunet, came to stand close to her and they started to watch the scene play out. Yaya and the other Laura were arguing with Karen, while Mark and Eion stuck together by Karen's side. That left Jenna and Ross close together as the physicians of the group and Reynaldo stood in the middle, looking like a deer with headlights on him. The argument swelled, and Karen reached for a weapon, throwing it in her and David's direction, just like she was supposed to.

"Cut!" Stevenson said, putting his finger up one more time. "Again."

By the time the sun was setting outside, Laura had seen David stabbed by Karen ten more times and every time her emotions were all over the place. Fighting to save him with anguish and outrage and back again. It was now later than that, past the eight o'clock hour and David was still healthy and always bringing a smile to her face. It was just her and Ross on the set again, with a skeleton crew, blocking the scene they'd be tackling tomorrow - Scene 41. In another room than the one they filmed in this morning, Ross stood behind her with a rag, just like the one he'd be holding onto and helping her heel for tomorrow's scene.

"Take it from where Magellan is coming to terms with Amunet," Stevenson directed them, giving them a starting point.

Nodding her head, she cupped her elbows with her hands and pulled her legs up to her chest almost hugging herself. "He's not gone."

"No, he's not. He's resting," Ross, as Rory told her, patting a rag on her back. They looked over to one of the white beds in the room, which had been plumped up with pillows to mimic David's form. "We need to take care of you now."

"I'm fine though."

"No," Ross lifted the rag, inspecting it as the rag would have fake blood on it tomorrow. "No, you're not."

"Rory," her voice was hoarse from the screaming and crying. "Tell me he's going to live," she turned her head around to look at him, her hair brushing down over where her wound would be. "Please," her plea was soft but full of so much worry. Ross put his forehead on hers, dropping the rag on to the table before cupping her cheek and brushing away tears that she'd be producing tomorrow. He didn't say a word after that, but leaned in for the kiss of the scene - and that's where Stevenson stopped them.

"That was almost perfect guys," he handed the script back to Alex. "Laura, can we keep you in a bunched state until Ross comes around as the kiss gets deeper?"

"Yea. no problem."

"Great. I think we're good for tonight. Maybe take a stab at the scene later on, though? Great job today guys. See you tomorrow."


	9. eight point one

...and that's just what she did. Her feet were up on the edge of the balcony with music playing from inside her room, a glass of wine on the table paired with a bowl of popcorn and the script in her hands. This was her method - music, wine, popcorn or any other salty snack, a view (most of the time) and nothing else. Unlike most other actors, the music helped her concentrate and memorize everything. Reading over the scene on the paper in her hands, Laura popped another kernel in her mouth and played out the scene like she had it in her mind. She could see Magellan on the steel table getting the attention of a good doctor. She could see him treating her wound that Izel caused and stopping the blood from spilling out. She could feel his hands as they left the rag behind and brushed over the curve of her back onto her shoulder and down to her hand. She could see all of it in her mind and hoped it was going to play that well on the camera too. Picking up her glass of wine, Laura also grabbed the remote for the stereo, positioning it behind her to turn up the volume.

"Dude!" Ross came out of his room and leaned over the full wall between their rooms. "Turn it down."

"Nope. Not going to happen," she told him straight out, giving him a glance before going back to her script line by line.

"But it's distracting, Laur," he whined, his head sagging down. "I need quiet."

"And I need the music," she countered back, the drink flowing down her throat.

"How you can do that, I will never understand. I will let you borrow my headphones," he tried to lure her.

Laura smirked back at him, not biting and turned back to her script. She wasn't expecting him to jump over the wall and onto her balcony, but then again, she wasn't complaining either. "Not turning the music off," she still told him before he reached over her for the remote and turned it off himself.

"Ah, much better," he closed his eyes, the silence surrounding him again. "So, Magellan, how's that wound?"

She rolled her eyes, before becoming suddenly aware of just how close he was. What was going on? She never would have pushed him away before - because they were friends; best friends. Now, after their "date" last night, her body was sending her mixed signals and pushing him away now, she instantly regretted it. He pulled up the seat next to her, his feet up on the edge of the balcony right next to hers and enjoyed the view of Table Mountain. She watched as he didn't wait for her answer and instead got up and went back inside to her room, making some noise in the kitchen. Her eyes darted back to the script in her hands, going over the lines again and making sure she was retaining them. He would ask her how the wound was and she'd reply: "It hurts like hell."

"Izel's always had a stick up her ass," Ross came back onto the balcony, uttering the next line in the scene. "I'm sorry she did this to you. To Amunet," he looked out towards the view, his emotions overwhelming the scene. "I promise you he'll be okay. Sarah is a terrific doctor."

"But you don't like that type of medicine," she said, her voice softer as she imagined his hands on her skin and underneath her shirt.

"You're right, I don't, but that doesn't mean it doesn't work for some people. I'm gonna need you to take your shirt off."

Laura glanced back at the script and re-read the lines again. "Sorry, can we start that again? I want to do it differently."

"Sure," Ross nodded, gulping down the bottle of water he had grabbed from her kitchen. "From the top?"

So they did just that - five more times. Five more times that she read the lines differently and each time she didn't like how she was saying them or how she was performing them. They weren't hard lines; she knew them. She had known them by heart the second time they read through the scene and frustration was getting the best of her. Laura pulled her hair up from her face and her legs came down from the balcony ledge as she let out a short huff.

"Breathe, Laura," he told her. "What aren't you liking about what we just did?"

"I don't know. I don't know if it's because we're just out here or I need to be on set or what. I think I need to actually feel like we're filming the scene for this one. Any other one, I'd be fine."

He didn't wait for her to go on after that. He just grabbed her hand and tossed the script aside on the balcony, leaving it next to her wine glass and popcorn. Taking her inside the room, he left her in the living room as he closed off the balcony with the amazing view that she didn't know was even part of her problem. Turning back to her, Ross discarded his shoes and threw them to the side before his hands came straight to the edge of her shirt.

"What are you doing?" she stepped back.

"Taking your shirt off," he told her and her eyes went even wider. "Look. You just said you needed to feel like you were on set. Your wardrobe is part of your set."

"You're still not taking my shirt off," she put her hands over his and placed them back at his side.

"It's nothing I haven't seen before."

"Excuse me?"

"You do know what you wore a few weekends right? That 'shirt'," he airquoted. "Everything was on full display Laura."

"Are you kidding me right now? We're about to go over our lines for a love scene and you're telling me that you taking my shirt off is going to help? And don't get me started on you being all protective over me and what I was wearing almost three weeks ago isn't the issue here!"

"You just said," Ross stopped himself before he said something he regretted. "Let's just get started on the scene. Again. Sit down." He pointed to the sofa and before she could even do just that, he pulled her with him and turned her so she was facing away from him just like the scene called for.

"You're getting rough."

She felt him lean closer to her, whispering into her ear. "How's your wound feel Magellan?"

Suddenly she was very aware of just how close he was to her and how she could feel every breath he was taking, every touch he was giving her. She turned her head ever so slightly, catching just a glimpse of his mouth before her eyes darted up to his eyes. "It hurts like hell."

His hand left the place on her side and skimmed up her bare arm towards where her wound would be tomorrow. Fingers feathered over her, giving her goosebumps along the way and sent a shiver down her spine. This is what she pictured with Magellan and Rory - the sensual start to the love scene; not the heated, rough and wild one she imagined if it was her and Ross. No, Magellan and Rory were the careful ones here; the ones that had fallen in love but even with a comatose person lying in the same room, gave in to their emotions.

"Izel's always had a stick up her ass," he recited the line, his hand now lying softly on her shoulder. "I'm sorry she did this to you. To Amunet, but I promise you he'll be okay. Sarah is a terrific doctor."

Her breath hit a sudden stop as Ross pulled her back into his frame. "But you don't like that type of medicine," she leaned back into him, twisting just so to see his full face and not just half of it.

"You're right, I don't, but that doesn't mean it doesn't work for some people." She saw Ross stop, his eyes flickering between her own orbs and her lips. He wasn't focusing on her shoulder anymore and he needed to. Instead, she saw him lick his own lips again in response to her and just like that, he stood up from the sofa, letting his hands drop from her body and she suddenly felt very alone.

Laura watched Ross brush his hands through his hair and grab the water bottle off the coffee table forcefully. She didn't know if she should move or stay or to just call it a night and see what would happen tomorrow while they were filming. He turned back then and started up again.

"That's what I'm going to have Rory do," he explained. "He's going to leave and come back just as quickly. He can't resist her."

"Good to know."

"So, I'm gonna need you to take your shirt off."

Laura looked back at him, confusion over taking her face again. "Didn't we just..."

"I need to get to the wound and your shirt is getting in the way."

She nodded, surprising both herself and him by lifting up her thin red shirt and exposing her very lacy, very revealing and very red bra. It didn't cover everything either; she knew he was within reach and could see all that the bra covered, and all that it didn't; the lace only covered half of her breast and she was a bit scared that if she didn't control her breathing, he'd get full view of everything. Biting her lip, she tried to avoid Ross' reaction, because if she saw it, she might not have made it to the next part of the scene. She didn't see his eyes almost pop out of their sockets of the satisfied smirk on his lips. She didn't even hear him mutter 'holy crap' under his breath.

But she did hear him gulp as her breasts came closer together and showed off even more cleavage than she thought she was capable of. _Thank you, Agent Provocatuer. _"Is that better?" she asked, her arms now crossed across over her breasts just like she'd be doing in the scene tomorrow, seeing as she'd be completely topless then.

He nodded at her, his hand covering her shoulder again, and kneading it into a light massage that sent more shivers through her. "You're lucky this isn't deeper," he hold her, his head tilting into hers. "This is where we kiss," he whispered as himself and not as Rory.

"Mmhmm," Laura nodded, her forehead rubbing against his own. "Are we going to?"

"Hell yea," Ross didn't waste any time after that, and captured her lips with his.

They were supposed to be kissing as their characters; as these two people who were taken away from everything they knew and thrown together to save a planet from some sort of doom. They were supposed to be these characters who were giving into all their bottled up and tense emotions about each other. They were not, however, supposed to be Ross and Laura, two people who were actually in almost the same situation as Rory and Magellan. Of course, they didn't disappear off the face of the Earth, but they were in another country without their families for four months.

Laura didn't know when she left Magellan behind or when Ross stopped being Rory, all she knew was that they hadn't stopped kissing for twenty minutes and their positions had changed from sitting on the sofa to him on top of her. Her hands trailed up his chest, pulling at his staple white tee shirt he always wore and his were roaming around her silky skin, with one snaking up into her hair. The sensations he was giving her were never going to leave her, and she didn't think she ever wanted them to. They were good sensations, ones that she could stand to feel forever, possibly for the rest of her life. _Did she really just think that?_

Opening her eyes, Laura broke their kiss apart. She had planned to stop what they were doing right there, but he obviously didn't want to and even though she didn't either, they had to. She knew they had to. His lips went right on down her body - from her mouth to her chin to her neck and to just between her breasts. A low moan escaped her, and she fought against everything she wanted. She wanted him to continue, wanted his lips all over her, wanted to feel everything all at once; and she knew right then - she wanted Ross. She wanted him to make love to her just as much as she wanted to make love to him. She wanted to show him just what they could be together...but tonight was not that night.

"Ross," she breathed out his name. "We have to stop."

His eyes snapped open then and his lips stopped moving on her body. _Dammit_.

"You want to stop?" he asked, but made no motion to move from her.

Laura looked back at him and didn't know what to say then. She wanted this so bad, but she didn't want to compromise anything between them. At least not yet, not now. Not when their emotions were this high and they were preparing for a love scene, of all things. It was her turn then to kiss his face with soft, fleeting caresses on his cheek and her hands dragged down his chest to the edge of his shirt. She wanted to take it off of him and feel his skin against hers; wanted to feel his hands all over her; wanted to memorize every crease of his abs...Laura broke off her kiss again. "We have to, we have to stop," she backed up then, trying to sit up and away from him.

"Okay, okay," he backed up as well, leaning back on the sofa on his knees while she slipped her shirt back on. "I wish we didn't."

Laura looked over at him as her hands curled against the edge of the sofa. She didn't want to stop either but still didn't know whether he was talking about them as Rory and Magellan or as Ross and Laura, and to be perfectly honest, she was scared to find out. Even though she wanted it to happen more than anything right now, they were still filming a movie and finding what was real and what was for the film was tricky. "We'll get to do more tomorrow. I mean, Rory and Magellan have this passionate love scene and we just gave them some excellent foreplay." _What the hell are you talking about, Marano?_

"I see," he nodded before getting up from his spot on the sofa. "You thought that was our characters."

"Wasn't it?" _Please say no._

Grabbing his shoes on the ground, Ross let them dangle from his fingers and she watched him let out a deep breath before turning around. "Sure, Laura. It was for Rory and Magellan. I'll see you tomorrow on set."

And with that, he walked out of her door and she suddenly felt like the world had stopped. Grabbing the pillow that was next to her, she pulled it to her face and screamed into it. It would take only two seconds to run out her door, stop him from going into his own room and jump him right there. _Think about the movie, Laura._ Sometimes, her head could be such a bitch.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry, explain this to me again," Godfrey leaned over the table, his hands leaving the warm cup of coffee he was sipping on for Ross' story about last night's events. "You and Laura kind of, finally happened and she thought it was for your scene today and then you didn't confess everything and left?"<p>

"Pretty much."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Godfrey shook his head, and Ross knew how much he wanted to smack him as hard as he could, before Eion and Chen came to join them at the table. "You have this girl, this fucking amazing woman in your grasp and you don't go for it? Ross!"

"I know, I know," he ran his hand through his hair again, messing up what the hair department already fixed three times before. "It's Laura though. She's one of my best friends, if not my only best friend. I've known her since I was fifteen. She knows almost everything about me and I know everything about her. How she laughs when she's nervous and how when she cries, it's with her whole body; how her smile can literally light up a room and..."

"And you just turned into the definition of a girl, man," Eion said, hot liquid pouring down his throat.

"It sounds like you've always been in love with her," Chen said, stating the obvious to him.

Ross thought about his words. He never really had thought about it before. Was he in love with her? Ten years. He had known her for ten years and sure, he had had girlfriends along the way and some were amazing girlfriends, but as he thought about them right now, he was honest and none of them really compared to her. She wasn't just the best best friend; she was the one girl he would always go to, the one who he thought of when he was around something he knew she liked. Maybe he was in love with her...all he knew was that last night after the moment their lips first touched again, he wasn't Rory. He was Ross.

They had kissed before, many many times as Austin and Ally. But those kisses were different - they were Disney kisses and weren't as passionate as these new ones were. Those were mere pecks compared to the one last night. The one last night was like he was getting lost in her and if he had to be lost, he'd want it to be with her. When he was playing Austin, he was still a teenager and also had a girlfriend then. While those kisses meant something to Austin, none of them made a deep impact on him as Ross. This time around though...it was a completely different story.

"Ross, on set in ten." He lifted his head to the assistant who called his name and got up from his seat.

"Woah, woah, woah," Godfrey stopped him. "In love? Not in love?"

"Tell you in a week," Ross finished off his water and sent the empty cup to the trash can just beside the table, leaving his cast mates in the wonderment of their lives. Yeah, he would tell them in a week, when he had it all figured out himself. Hopefully.

Meeting up with Nikki, who was possibly the best groomer for the guys on set, he quickly apologized for messing up the hair she'd already fixed many times before, and then got him ready again for the scene ahead - the scene where he'd be kissing Laura. Wait no, it would be Magellan. While he tried to convince his mind that was the case, it wasn't happening. Who was he kidding? He wanted it to be Laura, not the character she was playing, even though he was convinced she didn't want them to be anything else. Not after last night.

"You're all set," Nikki told him with a bright smile.

"Thanks Nikki," he said, making his way off to set and immediately finding her on the table getting more fake blood applied to her shoulder; the same blood he was about to clean off of her. David was on the opposite end of the room, getting in position for a nice long nap. Turning back to Laura again, she caught his eye and quickly looked away. He was sure that today would go okay, he was making himself believe that. She was Magellan, he was Rory and that was it.

Two takes in, they weren't doing anything right. Everything was awkward, foreheads were knocking together, he was smearing the fake blood on her shoulder the wrong way making it all red and sticky, not to mention David actually falling asleep during the second take. Yep, this was going _just_ as planned.

"Cut!" Stevenson called and walked over to them, telling Alex to stay put in video village. "Okay. You two did run the scene last night, right?" he looked between them as they exchanged tell-all looks. "At least you did that. What's the problem then?"

"Um," she started off before he cut her off.

"We ran the scene really late last night. It's a sleep thing."

Stevenson laughed. "Bullshit," he took off his glasses for a moment and wiped them off. "Here's what I'm going to do to get you back in the mood. I'm going to really make you Rory and Magellan. After this scene, you're never going to see each other again," he looked between the two. "So make this count."

Ross backed up and circled around the room, letting the director's words sink in. He was never going to see her again. Never again. Okay, he was ready.

"Rolling...and action!"

He placed the cool rag on her shoulder once more, soaking up the red liquid and hearing her hiss at the pain she was meant to be feeling. "You're lucky this isn't deeper."

"Yea, I guess I am."

"Really, really lucky," he whispered, the rag slipping between them and landing on the floor. _Never going to see her again._ He kissed her then, not urgently, but sensually with his hands cupping her face and trying to bring her even closer than she was. He could feel the skin of her exposed breasts rub against his elbows and it took all of him not to make this real. Still standing next to her on the table, Ross let his right arm go behind her and settle on her waist and this time, he truly did pull her closer.

"Rory," she breathed out his name and bit on his bottom lip. "What are we doing?"

He didn't answer her just yet and he wouldn't admit he forgot the line because he was too swept up in the scene. Pulling away from her ever so slowly, he stopped himself from devouring her right there - and he could've too, as her breasts rubbed against the thin fabric of his shirt and all he wanted to do was take her right there and explore every inch of her completely. His eyes roamed around her upper body and he bit his tongue when he saw just how perfect she truly was. Looking her straight in the eyes and meaning every word, not just for Rory, but for him as well, he said, "Something we should've done way before this."

It was her turn to kiss him then and she did just that, her hands tugging at his shirt and pulling it off of him. They were now skin to skin and his mind was going insane. Mindful of the cameras around them and remembering that they were filming a movie after all, Ross sealed more kisses onto her soft skin, and settled his hand just under her head as he laid her completely down on the table.

"Something we should've done a very long time ago."

* * *

><p>Five more takes later, they wrapped and Laura immediately covered herself up and raced from the set towards the adjacent room that the girls had commandeered as their 'trailer' for the day. She bypassed Margarita, Yaya and Summer, flopping onto one of the chairs and let her head sag into her hands. They had done it, had fake movie sex three times. And it was the best fake movie sex she'd ever had. It topped Freddie, it topped Josh, it even topped Sean and Sean was almost too good. The fake movie sex with Ross was so good she had almost would have truly gotten off if Stevenson had not called cut. Feeling a pair of hands over her wrists, Laura looked up to see Summer still with her.<p>

"Love?" she asked and all Laura could do was shrug her shoulders. Was it? Was it really love or just this urge to jump her best friend? Would these feelings go away if they actually had sex? Or would they stay and become something she never thought possible? "You know that's not a bad thing if it is, right?"

She let out the breath she didn't know she was holding in, her shoulders slumping even more and letting her head rest against the cushy back. She closed her eyes and knew Summer was right. It wasn't the end of the world. In fact, it could be the start of something wonderful - if only she knew if he felt the same was. She didn't want to sabotage anything and the heartache of getting shot down? She knew she could not handle that in any way possible. The mere thought of losing him in any way...it was just not something she ever wanted to deal with. But the thought of turning their friendship into this amazing relationship, that she could deal with.

"You're wrapped for the day, right?"

She nodded just as Summer threw a spare shirt and shorts at her, landing on half her face. Laura watched Summer pick up their belongings and head out the door and before she knew it, they were having drinks in at the hotel's bar and ten clear glasses stared back at her. She knew she needed something, just not ten of something. But then again, she didn't want to stop either.

* * *

><p><em>author side note: eight and eight point one were broken apart for a reason. couldn't give you all the good stuff in one chapter. ;)<em>


	10. nine

_Note: Okay, before you read on, just know that the whole story is a T rating, however, some parts of future chapters will be M. I will put a note on top of those so everyone knows._

* * *

><p>He was beat and frustrated. Frustrated to the point of wanting to waste precious minutes on his phone plan to call up one of his siblings and get them to tell him what he was feeling. Out of all the Lynch children, including Ellington, he was possibly the worst at this love game.<p>

Ellington and Rydel, who had been in and out of other relationships, had figured it all out during the last leg of their tour and called it like it was and just celebrated their first year anniversary; Ryland was on his third girlfriend and as he declared, final one; Rocky was a one and done type of guy and so was Riker, kind of. Although the oldest of them all had had his share of girlfriends, there was only one who had always been the one for him and he knew it the first moment he set eyes on her - Sofia. She was the one he wanted (no pun intended). Him on the other hand, since the end of _Austin & Ally_, had to use more than just his hands to count the girlfriends he took on. If he could even call them that. He needed this love thing explained to him and someone other than Godfrey or Milo to smack him.

Picking up his phone, Ross speed dialed the only person he knew that had this love thing down; the only one even worth talking to about it all. Checking the clock on wall, Ross quickly did some subtraction in his head and knew it was safe to call. They would be up; hell, they'd been up for hours.

"Well, well, well," the voice said into the receiver not two rings into the connection. "How's the other side of the world?"

"It's actually pretty cool. No complaints here. I hope you're asking that all because of the hints Mom dropped."

"I may or may not be."

"Good. Unless us kids will be planning it all for some anniversary years down the line and you won't even have a choice in the matter. We'll even plan all your meals," Ross threatened, if you could call it that.

"Okay, planning that now," Mark laughed into the phone. "Seriously though, how you enjoying it? Everything okay?"

That was the million dollar question and Ross found himself unloading everything onto his dad. He told him about kissing Laura and getting drunk over her and thinking about things he never thought about with her. He told him about fantasizing about not just real sex with her, but how a real relationship with her would be. He even told Mark about his head saying one thing and his heart saying another and how it wasn't making any sense to him. Ross didn't know if it was love or just lust or even just curiosity and wanting to try something with her. He did remember saying once upon a time that he'd date her way after _Austin & Ally _ended; five, ten years down the road. Nothing like a random quote to come and bite you in the ass.

"So, let me get this straight? You and Laura had a love scene in the movie and that's what started you thinking about all of this?"

"It's part of it."

"So, you weren't feeling any of this before that happened? She didn't give you any fuzzy feelings before you had to run this love scene?" Mark asked and Ross leaned back on the chair on his balcony. "Think about that, Ross. Because if you did then..."

"Then what? Does this mean I do?"

"You know I can't tell you who you love and who you don't love."

He let out a groan. "Tell me again how it happened with you and Mom."

Ross closed his eyes and listened to the story of his parents and how they came to be the Lynches. He had seen her across a room and it was an instant connection. They danced, they laughed, he swept her off her feet and she said yes when he got down on both knees, almost begging her to marry him. They were happy as could be and then they got even happier when Riker was born. _Damn it_, Ross thought. He wanted a story like that. He wanted that instant connection and romantic love story that he could one day tell his own children about how he also fell in love with their mother. He didn't think that telling them 'oh, I met her on a movie set' was that romantic.

"Ross, you're 24 and I can't really lecture you on who I, or your mother, want you with until the end of time. I can however, tell you that if you're feeling something more for Laura then you were before, tell her. Tell her everything and if she feels the same way, if you two do get together and it's everything you are imagining it will be, well, then..."

"Then thank you and throw a party celebrating it?"

Mark laughed at the second youngest of his children. "I'd take the thank you, of course. But what I was going to say was that, hell, you should go for this. Not hating on any of the others that we actually did meet, but this is Laura, Ross. We know Laura and we love her."

"Exactly my worry, Dad. I'm struggling here because it is Laura. It's Laura," he emphasized her name. "What happens if we do start something and I screw the whole thing up? I don't want to fuck up everything we have."

"You won't."

"But what if I do?"

"You won't. Ross, this is Laura. I guarantee you that if this happens and all the planets align with it, you will not fuck it up. This will be it for you. Forget about the movie for a second. If you weren't filming it, do you think feelings like this would've come anyhow? I know your Mom wanted it to happen years ago."

"As did everyone else," Ross mumbled, his free hand running over his face. "You really think I won't fuck this up?"

"She'd be your Stormie, Ross."

Ross smiled into the phone at his Dad. He was right; Ross knew he was right and to think of Laura as his Stormie - he could definitely get used to that idea. "Endgame?"

"Total endgame."

Ross chatted with his Dad for a few minutes more before his Mom stole the phone and he was stuck in an endless conversation about South Africa and more with her. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk with his mom, he just wanted to go and find Laura more. Luckily for him, knocks on his door were all he needed.

"I will, Mom. I promise, and tell Dad thanks."

"Thanks for what?"

"Just tell him please. I love you," Ross didn't wait to hear her 'I love you, too' before he hung up and threw it onto the small kitchen counter. "Whoever you are, can I just say that..." he stopped himself then as he opened the door and it was her. The one he couldn't stop thinking about since, well, since he landed this part and she had occupied more of this thoughts day to day. You didn't even want to get him started on what he'd been through since yesterday, either.

"Hi."

"Hi," he held the door open, waiting for her to do something - either come in or say more words, whichever came first.

"Can I?"

"Yea," he waved her in and shut the door close behind her, counting down in his mind before he faced her. Fully dressed now, Laura wore a soft yellow top that he knew she knew full and well was his favorite on her. His eyes roamed down the rest of her - legs, again. Like this wasn't hard enough, now her legs in the equation and he wanted to say screw it right there and toss her into his bedroom where he'd have his way with her right then. But he didn't. Instead, he headed straight for the fridge that he had stocked with a few beers he knew he'd be needing. Motioning one to her, she shook her head. "Really?"

"Yea, I had one too many this afternoon with Summer. I think I'm good on drinking until we get back to LA."

He raised his eyebrow at her. From the moment they'd both turned 21, she'd had a wine glass in her hand (on all those special occasions) and him a beer. While they didn't overdrink and weren't alcoholics, they'd enjoyed their drinks. Him not seeing her with a glass in her hand would be...weird. Popping the cap off of the bottle, Ross took a swig before he moved past her and towards the sofa. She followed him, standing right by the coffee table and opened her mouth to talk but nothing came out - so he did it for her.

"Do you remember when 'Raura' was all we ever heard on Twitter and from the fans?"

She chuckled, "I still do. Especially since the paps caught us with Calum."

"Didn't he restart that too?"

"I think he did," Laura laughed and exhaling the deepest breath he'd ever seen her take. "You think the world would go bananas if 'Raura' became real?"

Ross' eyes went wider then and he looked towards her. "Wha..." his voice was a little high pitched and he cleared his throat. "What? You've been thinking about this?"

Her shoulders went up and down as she stayed in place, her hand rubbing up and down her other arm. He could see she was nervous about the situation they were in and if her body language was an indication, she was more nervous than he was.

"Laura, I need you to be honest with me right now," he leaned forward on the sofa. "Are you having feelings? Not like movie feelings, but real, tear your heart out, throw all caution to the wind feelings?" He watched her close her eyes and nod only once before he got up from his seat and walked over to her in less than time than it took his brothers to clean a cake platter. "You like me," he said with a big smile spread over his face and did what he wanted to do since she came into his place - he kissed her.

This wasn't Rory kissing Magellan now. This was Ross Shor Lynch kissing Laura Marie Marano and backing her up against the wall. This was him running his hands over her arms and around her waist, picking her up so she wasn't on her tip toes anymore. This was him telling her he felt the exact same way.

"Ross," she managed to slip out his name and he wasn't sure if it was to get him to stop or because she wanted more. "You like me, too?"

"You didn't get that part?" he laughed, his forehead leaning against hers again as he let her feet touch the ground. "Yes, I like you. I like you a hell of a lot."

This time around, she leaned up to him and wrapped her hands around his face as her lips connected with his. They moved against his in the most sensual way and he didn't know whether to take her up against the wall like he was itching to or on the floor. She kicked off her sandals on her feet and gathered the edge of his shirt up into a ball and out of his pants. It was her who was backing him up now and he was more than ready to pick her up again and pull her into the bedroom, which was exactly what he did.

She wasn't the only one feeling her way around with his hands roaming up her small frame, lifting the silky yellow top off her body and letting it drop to the floor. A new bra replaced the sexy one from the night before; this one simpler but still arousing. Sheer lace covered up half of her breasts with the underwire almost shoving them up towards him; and cute little bows on the straps which he was sure to pull off of her arms slowly, his fingers teasing her skin. It was at this moment that he could hear the beat to "Hungry Eyes" echo in his brain. He wasn't sure why it was that song or why it was in his head, but he was hungry - hungry for her and breaking their kiss right now would be the death of him, but he had to do it. "Laur..." his mouth right back on her, sucking the sweetness off of her neck.

"Hmm," she mumbled.

"We do this, there's no ever going back."

Her hands stopped sweeping against the skin of his neck and she looked straight back at him. "Why would I want to go back? Ross, I mean this."

Ross locked gazes with her. "I mean this too. You don't think we're going too fast?"

She looked back at him and stared deep into his eyes. "We've already waited five years."

"Good point," he pecked her lips and picked her up with both hands by the waist, tossing her back onto the bed. Climbing on top of her, he pulled her back into a passionate kiss. "Five years is long enough."

Her hands went back to taking off his shirt, but he wasn't patient at all. He pushed himself back up, taking it off in a rush and tossed it to the side of the room. "Couldn't wait, could you?" she laughed against his mouth.

"Five years," was all he told her, his mouth leaving hers and trailing down her chest and his hands walking down her sides to her cut offs that he definitely didn't want her wearing anymore. Not just right now, but in general. No one, but him, should see her in less than a snowsuit. She rolled her body into his and he scurried to get his own pants off, her hands only somewhat helping. Kicking them to the side and watching them land on top of their other clothes, Ross took a deep breath and crawled back up to her, his fingers wanting to memorize every curve of her body on their way. She nuzzled her nose against his own as he intertwined their hands together and lifted them up against the pillows above her head. This was the moment; the moment he showed her how badly he wanted this; the moment that there was never ever going back.

* * *

><p>Snuggling into his side, Laura tried to block out all glimpses of the sun rays that were shining through the balcony curtains. She wriggled herself under even more of the sheet and blanket and closer to the sexy man at her side. It's not like she'd spent all night wrapped up in him at all - oh yea, it was. The first time; their first time had been just what she'd imagined it would be like: loving, sensual, gentle and amazing. The next two times, however, were rougher, urgent and ravishing. He had woken her up in the middle of the night with his mouth on her breasts and his fingers touching and fondling anything else they could and she wasn't complaining. She could stand to be woken up like that every morning, actually. She had been dripping in sweat at the end and it only made her want more of it, more of him. The next time it was her turn.<p>

She remembered ditching the sheets and climbing over him, not giving him any choice that she'd be the one in control and on top that time around. Of course, she let his hands do their thing and feel all of her as she rode him. Her pace had accelerated faster than she anticipated and was the exact cause of them trying to catch their breath for at least an hour afterwards. Hot breaths, deep passionate kisses and getting wrapped up in each other followed until they finally allowed sleep to kick in. They would definitely need the sleep if she had anything to say about it, because they were going to be doing this every time they ha the chance until they left the African continent and even more when they got home. Much more.

Laura heard him say something but chose to ignore it and the sunlight that was trying to wake her up. She didn't care what time it was nor if they were wanted on set. She was staying put and that was that...but that was before he started kissing her hands and her inner arm and her shoulder and her neck and as he pulled the sheet over her head, her cheek and then her lips. They were short kisses, but oh, how she wanted more of them. "Why are you trying to wake me up like that? Do you what you did last night. That was better," a sly smile played on her lips with her eyes still closed.

"I'm not above doing that again."

"I would never consider that a threat, you know. Do it," she told him and she didn't have to open her eyes to see him accept the challenge, his mouth on her breast in moments after that. She felt her nipples become hard after he ran his tongue over them; his teeth playfully biting her right breast at the same time his fingers were playing with her left.

"Better?"

She chuckled. "Much, much better," she cracked open her eyes and stared back at him. "Morning."

"Morning," he closed the gap between them, and kissed her soundly. She had thought their first kisses were good, but this one, this one had to be her favorite so far. It wasn't rushed or short and not because they had just had sex all night long. No, this kiss was love, it was a future and promises and butterflies in her stomach. It was a kiss she wanted more of and would never stop wanting. He rolled over on his side, tearing his lips away and smiled down at her. Picking up her left hand, lightly kissing her thin fingers with his lips while he spoke, "I'm not really sure what to say here."

Laura rolled onto her left side to face him, taking away her hand and propping her head up on it. "Me either," she confessed. "All I know is that this, whatever we call it - a relationship, a friends with benefits thing, a fuck buddy...I want it. I don't care if that means..."

"I'm going to stop you right there," he placed his finger on her lips. "This," he gestured between both of them, "is a relationship. This is not a friends with benefits situation where we're both seeing other people. This is a committed to each other beyond comprehension and reason relationship. This is me calling you my girlfriend and you calling me your boyfriend. Got it?"

She nodded. She absolutely did get it and it made her way to kiss him even more, especially when he was taking charge like that. "I'm dating Ross Lynch," she said, a smile bigger than she could possibly smile spread all over her face. To her cheeks, her lips, her nose and even her eyes. She was dating Ross Lynch. "Can I be a total girl right now?" Laura asked but didn't even wait for an answer before she turned to one of the pillows and squealed into it. Balling her hand into a fist, she pounded the pillow lightly and kicked her feet just a bit. Yep, she was a total girl. She was dating Ross Lynch. She was officially Ross Lynch's girlfriend and he was her boyfriend. Laura did not care one bit how he was looking her right now because all she wanted to do was shout it from the balcony and if the hotel let her, from the rooftop and even when they got to the top of Table Mountain, from there too.

Peeking her eyes open, she looked back at him and saw the amused look on his face. "How ya doing there?"

"I'm good, more than good. I'm Ross Lynch's girlfriend," her smile was not fading.

"You are and I'm Laura Marano's boyfriend," he captured a kiss from her. "I'm so glad you came over last night."

"Me too. I was so nervous about it. I mean, after the scene and then the night before. I was so worried about what you might say or do."

"If you hadn't come here, I would have came to you," he told her, and laid back beside her. "I called my Dad."

"You called your Dad?"

"Yea. I definitely wasn't going to call my brothers or sister about this, and my Mom was out of the question," he scooped up her hand. "I wanted to tell you how I was feeling even though I had no idea what it was. I knew I liked you as more than a friend and I didn't know how to tell you. You're Laura, the girl I grew up with and the girl who has clouded my thoughts over the course of ten years. How do you tell your best friend you're having non-best friend feelings for them?"

"What did your Dad tell you?"

"That you'd be my Stormie."

Laura leaned her head on his shoulder, smiling at the compliment. It was the ultimate one, if she could say so. "And you'd be my Damiano."

They laid there in silence for a while, just loving the presence of one another beside them. There were no need for more words, not even more kisses although they stole many from each other, each one turning more passionate. They'd made love once more before hunger for actual food took over. Ross pulled on his boxers and she stole the robe in his bathroom. It was big, almost falling off of her small frame and she held it together with both of her hands as she followed him out of the room.

"I don't have a ton of food," he sheepishly confessed, opening the cabinets in the small kitchen and taking out a half loaf of bread and some quick macaroni and cheese that could be heated up in the microwave.

She laughed at him. "You have beer, but no food. What kind of guy are you?"

"The typical kind. Beer and sex over any kind of food."

"But you love food."

"Yes," he shook his head and turned back at her. "Yes, I do love food."

"I don't have any at my place," she bit her lip as he looked at her suspiciously.

"You sure you're a Marano? I guess we go with room service?"

"Or we go out?" she suggested, the shoulder of the robe slipping and exposing her skin again. "Even though that means we have to put clothes on."

He looked back at her from putting the items back in the cabinets. Raising an eyebrow flirtatiously, "Enjoying the view?"

"Very much so," she said, walking closer to him and running her fingertips along the rim of his boxers. "I'd like very much not to get dressed for the rest of the day."

"But we're hungry," he said, stealing a kiss away and his arms enveloping her in and not letting her go - just as her stomach rumbled very loudly. "Really hungry," he laughed at her. "Okay, here's the plan. You go change, I'll go change and we'll go eat."

"Then we come back here and play some more?"

"Play? Can I just say that I love you like this?" Another kiss stolen as he told her ten minutes and she slipped out of the room and over to hers.

* * *

><p>Entering her room, Laura leaned against the door for a minute before freaking out again - but this time it wasn't that he called her his girlfriend or that she was still wearing the robe or that she was still dreaming of his lips on and all over her body. No, this time she was freaking out over what to wear. She was Ross' girlfriend now, what the hell was she going to wear? She knew he wouldn't care if it was an oversized tee and basketball shorts, but she sure as hell would. She wanted to look good for him, or at least better than she had last night. After drinks with Summer she had looked like hell run over and taking Vanessa's amazing pre-hangover cure (which was a Godsend), she had thrown on a cuter top and headed over to Ross' before she lost her courage. This time around, being his new girlfriend and all, she actually wanted to look well...beautiful.<p>

Searching through her drawers in her room, Laura pulled out and subsequently threw out almost every thing from it. Blue, purple, yellow, red, all the colors of the rainbow were spread on her bed and checking the clock on her nightstand, had less than four minutes until her ten minute limit; but then again he was never on time for anything...at least in general.

Ditching the robe, she let it fall from her body and clasped the new bra she pulled out over her body - this one was black. Closing her eyes, she dug out a random top from the massive mess on the bed and slipped it on before she could second guess herself just as her stomach rumbled again. "I hear you, I hear you. I'm gonna feed you nice and overstuff you just like you like."

"Are you talking to your stomach again?"

She jumped at his voice, as she wasn't expecting to see him in her room at all. Not that she didn't want him in her room - in fact, she could get used to having him in her room all the time - but she was more wondering how he got in since she was pretty sure that she shut the door pretty tightly. "How did you get in here?"

"Um, balcony," he rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"You could've just knocked you know, and yes, I was talking to my stomach. We just had a great conversation about the local cuisine."

"Did it by chance tell you where we should go? Because besides the restaurant downstairs and bar at the other hotel, I have no clue what's around here and I'm craving some braai."

"Oh, that sounds good. With those koeksister things," Laura added, pointing back at him as she pulled some shorts on over her matching black panties. "And if we get that, don't even think of stealing mine."

"You're the food stealer."

"I am not."

"Laura, please. I could finalize a book deal with Harper with the food you steal. It's titled 'Food Laura Steals, So Keep It Away From Her' by Ross Lynch."

She chucked the robe at him and it covered his face.

"I'll get you a signed copy," he joked even more, leaning up against the door frame.

Grabbing her sandals and pulling her hair up into a ponytail, Laura hopped over to him. "Braai and koeksister, please."

"As you wish."


	11. ten

_Note: A friend of mine made this tumblr for this story, and it features all the images I've been brainstorming with for most of the chapters posted and will be updated as I send her photos. In case you actually wanted to see the cast's costumes, the dress Laura wore on their date, etc. Link is in my bio because she made me put it there._

* * *

><p>When Laura was a little girl and she stayed with her grandparents over the holidays, her grandmother would tell her the most romantic stories. They were the true fairy tales of love, friendship and life and Laura always wished she could've seen them happen in her own eyes. She recalled one of her favorites that her grandmother told her about the first time she held her grandfather's hand.<p>

_He squeezed it so tight I thought I'd have to have my favorite ring cut off of my hand. Luckily, I didn't._

Laura remembered the whole story almost word for word. Her grandmother told her, her sister and their cousins how his palms were sweaty, how he stumbled and grabbed onto her wrist instead and how he was so nervous to hold her hand that he wouldn't stop talking about the weather. This was back in the day when hand holding was the definition of romance. It was when hand holding meant something more than a kiss, more than making love. It meant that the guy was telling everyone and anyone that he was your guy and in turn, you were telling the world you were his girl. It meant that you were now part of a couple. Holding hands, interlocking fingers and squeezing tightly was the thing we did with the person we like the most. It's telling the world that this is happiness, and that's exactly what she was feeling right now.

Their fingers were locked and his thumb was lightly rubbing over her own as they wandered into town; it was happiness, pure happiness and even if she got the absolute worst news in the next minute, if the world was ending in five minutes, she would die the happiest person on the planet. Because she was with him and he was holding her hand.

He walked on her left side, like a gentleman would do and protected her from the street. They walked and walked and walked, passing by restaurants that they saw lines coming out of and others that were closed up, although she was starving like Livhu had been spooked every time Stevenson yelled cut on the Karoo set (note: it was every time and Livhu was a noise maker). Then again, she was okay with walking a bit with him. She had held hands with him before, but it wasn't like it was now. Back then, it was about making sure they both didn't get lost in the sea of fans or it was about them getting as close as possible for _Austin & Ally _cast photos. This was about them being a couple, an official couple and going out, kind of, on an official date...and it was nice. As Ross and Laura. Not as Rory and Magellan.

"Is this a restaurant?" Ross nodded over to her side, breaking her out of her thoughts. She looked over and peered in the hole in the wall place and just as she was about to say no and pull him along to the next place, the scent of some damn good braai hit her nose.

"If it isn't, I don't care. I'm not above prying that heavenly braai from the hands of whoever is cooking it."

"There's my Marano," Ross pulled her hand up and kissed it before they walked in and yea, it was definitely an eatery of some sort. They saw a few others spread around the place, sitting on colorful benches and chairs with a deep African beat echoing off the gray walls. Heading up to the counter in the back, he asked about the braai cooking and pulled her off to a random table after that.

Laura remembered her grandmother telling her about the time her grandfather opted to sit right next to her instead of across the table. In fact, he still did it to this day, because in his words, _there's no reason for me not to be next to her._ But Ross was different. He did sit across from her only to hold on more tightly to both her hands and played major footsie with her under the table. Glancing up quickly, Laura double blinked at the amount of plates the waitress who Ross spoke with was bringing their way. "How much did you exactly order?" she asked as the girl started to unload the plates from her hands. It wasn't that she couldn't eat all that was on the plates alone, it was that she had to share and splitting it up evenly was something she didn't want to do.

"Um, apparently five plates worth," Ross smirked. "Didn't know it would be this much. But it's not like we can't eat it. I know you can." She kicked him playfully under the table for that one.

"Water is here, and milk as well," the girl announced, coming back with a few glasses for them. "You'll need the milk for these two plates which are extremely spicy. The others are mild, so water. Enjoy."

"Extremely spicy?" He raised an eyebrow, picking one of the kabobs up and letting it float between them. "You first."

Laura eyed him, silently accepting the challenge with no hesitation. Leaning over the table, she took the braai stick from his hands in her mouth, a bit of the sauce slipped down her lips. She chewed the piece slowly, and hoped her attempt at teasing him was paying off. Her sandal-ed feet were still locked in his and she made them lock even tighter as the spice her her throat. The waitress with no name tag was right - there was definitely an extreme kick of spice. It wasn't just hot. It was tangy and made her taste buds dance like they were doused with rain of fire. Her tongue tingled with new sensations she hadn't tasted before just as it turned a bit sour. She squeezed her lips together against the feeling and reached for the milk. The minute the cool liquid his her lips, she was better. Thank God for the milk.

"Not bad," she shook her head from side to side, picking up another spicy braai and pointed it towards him. "Your turn." That should be enough for him to want to inhale the food and get back to the hotel for round...what was it now? Eight? Eight.

* * *

><p>They had finished all, or at least most of the extremely spicy braai they ordered. It was something he even contemplated putting on his resume under special skills. Eating that much spice in under an hour had to count for something. Ross didn't even know when he started keeping time in how fast they could eat them all, he was just more impressed that his girlfriend could definitely handle some major spice and maybe, just maybe win a couple of eating contests with her skill. Girlfriend: that's what she was to him now. She wasn't just his on-screen love interest or his best friend or one half of the 'Raura' ship. No, she was more. Laura was always more. She was his girlfriend; his now, one and only and maybe she would be the last he'd ever have.<p>

Lacing his fingers in and out of her own, Ross couldn't help but keep looking at her as they roamed around the open market that was filled with little shops with even littler knick-knacks and souvenirs for tourists and locals alike. It was noisy, but not overcrowded inside, but nonetheless, he still pulled her as close as he could possibly get her. He wasn't letting her out of his sight until they had to go back to work the next day. Speaking of, that's something they had to talk about. Do they hide this new relationship or do they tell everyone? As much as he wanted to tell everyone, there was that pool that he dipped into. "So, I have a weird question," he got her attention while they headed out to the boardwalk.

"I don't think there's any question you've ever asked that wasn't weird."

"Ha ha ha," he poked fun at her. "You know I'm in this, all in and I don't want you to think that I'm not."

"Okay..."

"Not sure if you know this, but there's a pool going around the movie about you and me," he nervously confessed, biting his bottom lip. "And I might be in on it." He didn't know how she would take it. Would she be like his previous girlfriends and freak out about the little things like this or would she brush it off? He had to remind himself again, this was Laura. The coolest girl that he would ever meet and be lucky to be around. This was the girl who he subconsciously compared everyone too.

"Yea, I know about the pool. Jenna told me after the night you got wasted on karate water."

"I did not get wasted," he argued.

"Yes, Ross, yes you did. The brandy went straight to your head. It always does. You were such a goner from the first whiff."

"I don't remember anything about that."

"Which is exactly the point of karate water," Laura said, starting to swing their linked arms on their walk.

Ross was telling the truth, he didn't remember much about that night. The only thing he did remember was that she had worn the most revealing top and he couldn't stop thinking about it. He still had dreams about it, and had imagined what the top would look like on the floor of his bedroom - something that had come true last night and he had been more than happy to see everything off of her. "Anyhow, about the pool..."

"How do you know about it?" she cut him off.

"Nikki. Nikki knows everything and well, I...I'm also in on it," he told her again, just in case she didn't hear that part.

"Wait, what?" she stopped their arms, stopped walking and yanked him back before he walked off without her. "You're in on it?"

"Yea. She let it slip one day while everyone else was in wardrobe and I sort of put money in just to be a part of it."

"What?"

"But no one knows it's me. It's under Nikki's name," he quickly explained, pulling her over to an empty bench on the boardwalk to sit down on. "My date is this Wednesday and before you cut me off and think that we only happened because of that, I'm going to tell you that that is complete bullshit and you're wrong. I've wanted you for a long time even though I would not admit that to anyone, not even myself. I actually forgot about the pool until this morning, after you left my place and I looked at the date."

Half of her leg was bunched against the back of the bench, the other hanging over the side and she let her arm rest on the back of the bench with her hand lightly brushing his shoulder. Laura ran her other hand through her hair before resting it on his leg and squinted against the glare of the sun that ricocheted off a surfer's board passing by. "How much?"

"How much what?"

"How much did you put in?"

"A grand."

"You only bet a grand on us?" she playfully hit his leg.

"Sheesh, Laur," he rubbed the spot where she hit him before grabbing her hand again. "And yea. I didn't really know if we would start anything and when it would be...and are we really arguing about a silly pool?"

"Yes, we are because I wish I had got in on it," she confessed, their fingers itching to play a thumb war. "So, that means if we wait until Wednesday, you'd make what...$8,000?"

"Around that, yea. Do you think you could actually keep this a secret?"

"Hey, I can keep a secret."

"Oh, bull. Season four. You totally and single handedly, I might add, ruined the surprise party for Heath and Kevin."

Laura's mouth dropped open. He knew he got her there because she had really turned into Dez Wade and dropped all the secrets to them right in front of him. He remembered it well, having to scramble and rearrange the entire thing just two days before for the creators of _Austin & Ally_. He also remembered not telling her anything after that and insisted on picking her up so she wouldn't ruin it again.

"I remember saying your name every ten seconds and you still couldn't stop blurting out everything."

"It wasn't my fault. I didn't even know they were right beside me."

"They were always beside you, or me, or Calum and Raini. Always," he emphasized and kept a straight face as she pulled out her pout. "Oh, no. You're not pulling that on me."

"I remember apologizing for this five years ago."

"You did, but now...I think you can do better."

Laura leaned forward and gave him a kiss, pulling at his bottom lip. "And I think you can do better for making me feel guilty again and getting in on a pool about us."

Ross let his head drop and he looked back up at her. "I'm pretty sure we can find a way to both make up for everything," he snuck in another kiss. "So, you think you can hold off until Wednesday?"

"Only if," she nuzzled her nose against his. "Only if we spend the rest of the day making up for the lost ones and once we win this money...at least half goes to a local charity."

"We? Don't you mean I?"

"Nope. From now on, you and I are a 'we'."

Ross opened his eyes more, staring down at her and her tempting lips. He could easily see down the shirt she chose to wear out, but that wasn't what he was interested at the moment. He would be later on, just not right now. "I like 'we'. What do we do with the rest of the money?"

"Oh," she straightened up, backing away from his mouth before he could kiss her again like he had intended to. "That goes to your parents for their future Cape Town vacation."

"This, this is why you are my girlfriend."

Three days. That was 72 hours of no hand holding, no kissing, no doing anything to tick off any of their cast mates or any crew about their relationship...and she was dying. Sure, they had gotten together during the nights and that was great, but she when she said she wanted to go up to Table Mountain and shout it from there that she was Ross' girlfriend, she was serious.

* * *

><p>"Did you hear that before we leave, we're going on an excursion or something?"<p>

"I did! I hope it's a safari. I really want to go on one."

"I'd rather go see the penguin colony."

Laura vaguely heard what Jenna, Lala and Summer were talking about, but wasn't really paying attention. She was more concentrated on just when Ross was getting back so she could break the news and show off that he was her boyfriend; that they were finally a couple. The moment she had seen Jenna on set on Monday, she wanted to blurt it all out. She wanted to tell her movie bestie everything and all the details because she was not calling up her sister who was a day behind everything and it would cost her an arm and leg for the call itself. She didn't think Vanessa would be very appreciative of her rambling about Ross and the details of their new sex life anyhow, although she had been hearing about Vanessa's for years. Biting her lip and holding tight on her coffee cup, Laura was brought out of her trance by said movie bestie.

"What kind of excursion do you think it is, Laura?"

"Hmm? Um, I have no idea."

"You seem a little lost today, are you alright?" Jenna sipped her tea, eyeing her a bit suspiciously, but Laura brushed her off.

"Yea, totally fine. Just preparing myself for the big scene today with Karen." It wasn't a lie. There was a big scene and she was mentally preparing herself, just not as much as she was mentally preparing herself to jump into Ross' arms as soon as she saw him. It was actually the scene where Izel takes out all her frustration on Magellan and there's absolutely no one around to save her...until Ridayh comes out of no where and saves the day. It was the turning point for her character, and Milo's as well, where she knew exactly how to get back; how to get them all back to where they came from.

"That's right, you and Karen are finally going to fight it out," Summer said. "I'm so getting a front row seat for that."

Laura smirked at her comment. For the day, the cast, minus Brian and Gale, were back in Little Karoo and at the moment, half of them were off filming bits and pieces for the sequence which left only her, Summer, Jenna and Lala chilling out for the moment before they were called on set.

"And I get to be her knight in shining armor," Milo came up from behind her and gave her a wink.

"And that's when I exploit all your power to get back to my own time."

"That's my girl." Laura swirled around in her seat as soon as she heard his voice. Dressed up as Rory, Ross was without his boxy shirt, but with a few new cuts and scrapes on his face and it took all of her not to fling herself at him. His mouth was the only thing she was concentrating on, ignoring all the rest of the cast talking around her. It was killing her that she couldn't just lean up and kiss them senseless right then and there. It wasn't like she hadn't over the past few days. In fact, every chance she got, hers were on his - even in between running lines with each other and when they came upon a scene with Magellan and Rory, she was the one adding kisses everywhere. On his lips, on his neck, on his nose, on his hand... _Only a few more hours, Laura. Only a few more hours._

"Can you believe we only have a few weeks left here?" Milo broke her thoughts and she swung back around as Ross placed his hands on her shoulders, gently rubbing them.

"We were just talking about that. Rumor is that we're going on an excursion before we leave. We've been brainstorming ideas."

"Like safari type excursion?" Ross asked, his interest definitely caught. "I'd so be in for that."

"Jenna was thinking a spa. I was hoping for the penguins, and we're still waiting on Laura's."

"You haven't chosen yet?"

She shrugged her shoulders against his. "I hadn't really thought about it, to be honest. I mean, I flew a plane here so I think that takes care of my excursion requirement."

"There has to be something," Jenna urged.

Laura bit her lip, trying to think of something other than the typical safari, or visiting the cute, but stinky penguin colony and then, she just had it. "Well, cage diving would be cool."

"Are you kidding me?" Lala asked, leaning over the table. "You, Laura Marano, want to go diving with the most feared fish on the planet?"

Laura might be small and look like she's a big scaredy cat, but it was quite the opposite. After booking _First Aid_, she remembered arriving in Savannah and as a bonding thing, the full cast went on a mud run before taking on the ziplines. It was fun and her full sense of adventure was born in that city. People typically don't think of Savannah as adventurous. They think of it as romantic and full of charm, which is was, but she'd always know it as the place she truly grew a back bone. Especially after Ashley Clements, a co-star, took her bungee jumping in Banning Mills. So, if there was a chance to go diving with the sharks, she'd be 100% in.

"I think I'd have to be there to see it," Margarita added. "And I'd be in that cage with you. It sounds like a thrill."

"Ha, I'm not the only one," Laura laughed and took a drink of her water. "Anyone else in?" she looked back at Ross this time.

"Yea, I'm sticking with the safari. Gotta see my boy Livhu."

"Wimp," she muttered just before Alex came to get her for final run through with Karen. Getting up from her seat, she followed him off to set, sending a sexy (or what she hoped was a sexy) smile to Ross. She didn't see him leave the table right after her to see Nikki, nor did she see the others jump Milo about the pool.

"I'm telling you something happened," Jenna insisted.

"No, not yet, but there's something brewing," Lala argued.

Summer also had an opinion, even if she wasn't in the pool. "I think something actually did happen. She was all out of sorts over it on Friday and they're much more like they used to be before the scene happened."

Jenna tapped on Milo's arm. "Who's got this week?"

His dark eyes scrolled down his little notebook to the week, seeing just who out of the 80+ member cast and crew was possibly a lucky winner. "Um...it's Nikki."

"The make up artist? She won?" Summer looked over Milo's shoulder. "Go Nikki."

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath.

"Are you one of those sore losers, Milo?" Jenna teased him.

He leaned back in the seat between the two girls that Laura had vacated. "No, not a sore loser. I just...I thought I had this in the bag."

"You know that two months passed by about a week ago, right?" Lala reminded him. "I'm just excited that those two are possibly, most likely together."

"Me too," Summer added. "From what Laura told me on Friday, this has been a long time coming. You're just bummed about the money though, aren't you Milo?"

He looked up from his notebook, sad eyes just absorbing him. "Is it that obvious?"

* * *

><p>It was the end of a long, long day and he had taken over three chairs at the table, stretching out his legs while Laura was getting un-Magellanfied. Closing his eyes and leaning back his head on the seat, Ross was trying to clear his mind and not go wild knowing that he could fully walk into the wardrobe trailer and kiss her crazy. He knew Jenna and Ellie were in there with her and some of the other wardrobe crew. But he also needed Godfrey or Milo to be around. That would seal it for him. Speaking of, where the hell were those guys anyway? Cracking open one eye, Ross got up and headed around the set as the sun sank behind the mountains around the shallow valley. He knew they weren't in wardrobe, and they were definitely not in hair and makeup. Checking craft services should've been the first place he went once he saw Milo piling whatever was left over on the tables into not just one but several containers. Ross laughed at his friend, knowing that this friendship would definitely continue. He'd fit right in with his brothers too.<p>

Patting Milo's back, Ross looked down at the tower he'd made with the containers. "Think you have enough?"

"Never enough."

"What are you still doing here? I thought Godfrey and them left earlier..."

"They did. I stayed behind to talk with Stevenson. What about you?"

"Oh, um..." Great. What the hell was he supposed to do now? He told Nikki about starting something with Laura earlier in the day and she had done several things: a) hug him so tightly he couldn't breathe; b) asked for all the details of how it happened; and c) couldn't wait for Milo to come and tell her she'd won, as him of course. What she didn't do was blab it all over the set, which was a great thing. But right now, he was kind of wishing she had, just so he could tell him the straight truth that he was with Laura. He was her boyfriend and he was planning on having sex with her later that night. No, he'd leave that last part out.

"Dudes, van left like an hour ago," Filemone, another security guy who went by Fil, came around to them and got their attention. _Thank you, Fil._

"Yea. Waiting on the girls," Milo said, stuffing a muffin in his mouth and gathering all the containers in his arms.

Heading back over to where he was before, Ross and Milo stopped at wardrobe and watched as Laura jumped up and down with Jenna in excitement. "You didn't keep it a secret, did you?" Ross asked, walking into the trailer. "She told you?"

"Yes, and it's bloody brilliant!" Jenna said, still jumping up and down with Laura.

He turned towards his girlfriend, not really mad at her for telling Jenna, but faking that he was. In all honesty, it was a fete that she kept it in this long.

"I know, I know. I'm a horrible secret keeper. But I had to! I waited all damn day for you to say something and there was nothing and all I wanted to do was just kiss you to get it all out in the open. Did you have to wait all day?"

As much as he loved her when she was playful, he loved it even more when she rambled. He was pretty sure any guy likes that, just so they can shut the girl up with kisses...and that was just what he did. Her lips tasted like cherries tonight and it didn't help that he really liked cherries. Laura pulled her arms around his neck and he lifted her up from the ground once more, ignoring the squeals from Jenna that were echoing throughout the trailer.

"Come on, Lynch. You couldn't wait until next week?" Milo complained.

Ellie hit him on the head with a magazine she had been reading before the soap opera played out in front of her. "Shush you. Be happy for them."

He hadn't planned on doing it this way. In fact, he had had this big plan in his head, where he would interrupt one of her scenes today by walking on and swooping her up in a big kiss, having the crew get it on tape. But that was all thrown to hell when he saw how brilliant she was in it, so he stepped back and just watched her perform with Karen. He had known she was talented but it was right then he knew that she had more talent in her right pinky finger than the whole cast had combined. He was still impressed and wowed that she was only 24 and had an HBO series under her belt and an Emmy. He was dating an Emmy award-winning actress. Now's the time someone needed to pinch him.

"I still can't believe this. It's the greatest thing ever," Jenna said as the couple broke their kiss. Ross thought he had seen the world's biggest smile before...but Jenna's might've just put it to shame and buried it six feet under.

Still in his arms, he kissed Laura's nose and intertwined both of their hands. "Ever?"

"Ever. I can not wait to see everyone's faces tomorrow when you two get all cozy and coupley. I have to remember to get it all on video." Jenna made a mental note in her brain before leaving the trailer, pulling Milo and his food containers along with her. Ross could still hear her talking Milo's ear off about their new relationship before he turned back to the girl in front of him.

"We need to work on your secret keeping skills. You hungry?"

"Um, Marano," she told him like it was an obvious answer, and to him, it was. Of course, if she asked him that it would be the same exact answer. They were both always a bit hungry and could and would eat anything. Except for maybe Brussel sprouts for him. He could never get on those, caramelized or not.

"Good. Tau gave me a recommendation today and we're gonna go try it out."

"Look at you being all boyfriend-y," she teased him, turning to grab her purse on the counter and re-linking her hand with his.

"I'm trying," his lips turned upwards into a soft smile and he nodded over at Ellie. "Night Ellie."

"Drive safe and give kisses to Xandra for me," Laura waved goodbye to her stylist and followed him out to a the car lot. "Wait, are you driving us there?"

He laughed at her. As much as he actually wanted to drive them both there, he knew he'd get lost and she'd get them back on the road, but in the wrong direction. They'd both be so late the next day for work, or even worse, be stuck on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. He could see Stevenson now going crazy like a chicken with its head cut off, wandering around the set and freaking out over losing two of his stars of the movie. Yea, no driving tonight and Laura let out a sigh of relief then.

"Good. Not that you're not a good driver, because you are...well most times. It's just, this is Cape Town. Everything is coordinates here, not addresses, and we know directions are not your thing."

"Not my thing? Thanks Laur," he faked hurt, his free hand covering his heart.

"It's just like I can't keep secrets. You're sense of direction is just a little off," she squeezed her index finger and thumb close together - so close that he was sure there was no space between them anyhow. "But I love that about you. Getting lost with you wouldn't be the worst thing in the world."

"And if that isn't the best girlfriend-y thing to say," he told her, sneaking in a kiss in the dusk as they approached the car lot. He never noticed it before - or maybe he did - but her eyes, when the sun was almost gone and all the colors in the sky were painted on her, they didn't just sparkle. They glistened. Glistened with amber, copper, and gold hues that he could definitely get lost in. He already knew he was in deep like with her, but if Cape Town and South Africa kept doing things like this, deep love was really right around the corner.


	12. eleven

_This chapter is M rated_

* * *

><p>"I really like this one."<p>

It had been days since they announced to the cast and crew that they were a couple, waltzing onto the set on Thursday and watching as most of their cast mates either dropped their jaws, danced about or, most likely, went straight to Milo to find out who won the pool. As promised, Jenna got the entire thing on video and after convincing her not to send it to everyone she knew, including her boyfriend, Laura and Ross had had a great time watching it together. They were really impressed with Stevenson's straight face throughout it all. It was like he knew all along. Everyone had found out about the winner, Nikki, and in the midst of celebrating her win around the set, had slipped the money roll off to Ross.

It was in the middle of the night on Friday/Saturday morning now and she had been restless, not wanting to go to sleep but not wanting to stay awake either. He, on the other hand, was dead tired from filming another climatic scene all day. He was drifting off to dreamland when she stumbled upon the almost perfect charity for them to give half of the winnings to and she knew immediately that she wanted to visit too.

The charity, called T.E.A.R.S., wasn't far from their hotel or any of the sets and they both had the day off on Sunday. Making the plans and putting it on the calendar in her mind, Laura scrolled through their website, ooo'ing and aww'ing at every animal she saw up for adoption. The organization was a good one too. It concentrated on rescuing, rehabilitating, reuniting and re-homing lost, abandoned, abused and neglected animals around Cape Town and she absolutely loved that one of the programs they ran was dog walking. How simple and amazing was that? Dogs needed to walk and she fell in love with that aspect of it all, among other programs they ran.

Looking down at Ross, she smirked at his non-ability to keep his eyes open for long tonight. She pulled her glasses off and closed her laptop, sinking back onto the bed and snuggling closer to him.

"Aww, I like your glasses."

"I know you do," she smirked at him, her arm snaking around his middle. "You worked hard today."

"How is it possible to be so sore from just sitting in a chair all day? I do not know how people do it who have nine to five jobs. I'm now a fan of them all."

Laura chuckled at him, turning away for just a moment to dim the lights next to the bed and turned right back. "You did great though."

"You watched?" He opened one of his eyes to look at her.

She nodded. "Just like you watched me the other day with Karen. You know you're a great actor Ross and the scene you did today only reaffirmed that you were definitely the right choice for this role."

"Not as good as you, though," he said, his fingers threading through the loose hairs around her face.

"You already got in my pants, no need for all the flattery."

"Ha ha. I would say the same to you, but I'm telling you the honest truth. How lucky did I get to be dating you, an award-winning actress that people should be fighting over."

Laura leaned into him, a soft kiss fluttering across their lips. "I like you sweeping me off my feet. I can get used to this."

"Noted," Ross gave her another kiss, his lips not giving her any room to breathe or move. He rolled her over onto her back and his left hand searched for hers but ultimately gave up after he felt both of hers threading through his own hair. She loved kissing him. It was one of the best things to her and she could put this on the top of her 'What Makes Me Happy' list. She felt him start to stray from her mouth and even though it was torturing, it was the best kind of torture. "Tell me," he breathed onto her neck, "about the charity."

Laura kept her eyes closed, soaking up every bit of his love that she could as she smoothed her hands down his bare shoulders. "It's, um, it's an animal organization. They re-introduce abandoned and abused animals back into Cape Town homes. God, Ross..." her breath caught as he sucked her neck more. "No hickies, Ross. Ellie and Nikki and Stevenson would kill you."

"But you won't," he smiled into her skin. "Keep going. These animals..."

"They're adorable and they have cats and dogs and Jesus..." she bit her lip hard, getting more aroused by the minute. She had not expected to make love with him tonight. He was tired, and she had a big day tomorrow in between a few interviews with local press, but she was not complaining one bit. Who in their right mind would complain about having sex with their partner? Especially one as hot as him? Exactly. No one. He blew cool air onto her now exposed chest after unbuttoning the pajama top she'd put on earlier in the evening. His hand was trickling sweet sensations down her skin and the coolness made her breasts stand at attention like they'd never really done before. He let his hand linger over her chest before squeezing her breasts with both hands. "...and we can volunteer and walk the dogs and play with the cats..."

"That sounds like a good one," he muttered between his kisses on her body. The next one she felt and squirmed under was just below her ear and she welcomed and guided his hand down to her shorts, scooting them off her legs and onto the floor. "Laura..."

That was it for her. Him saying her name in the most orgasmic way and she was gone. The first time they had sex, it was slow, but it was nothing like this. That was the 'yes, we're finally doing this after years of not being able to and being too scared to make any moves' sex. This, this was the 'yes, we're finally doing this and I'm going to show you just why I'm not afraid any more' sex. But this wasn't sex at all. This was making love. This was him and her and they were so all in. They weren't telling each other the L word, but they were damn sure meaning it. Laura leaned up just a little from the softness of the bed, her lips finding his own ear and pulling on it and nuzzling her nose on the velvetness of his own. She pushed her lips back onto his own, giving him promises that she fully intended to fulfill for the rest of her life. Tongues touched, fingers and hands pulled things off and in many, many moments she was now a true fan of foreplay.

Laura had had boyfriends before. Two, actually, during the time when _Austin & Ally_ was just ending until just before Ross returned. She hadn't been promiscuous, but she wasn't exactly celibate either. Her previous boyfriends were good in bed, but they definitely were not him. She remembered Tony, a law student she met at USC, who flew to Savannah to surprise her for their six month anniversary. He had done everything to make it as romantic as he could and it was...up until the sex. She wasn't exactly wowed with his performance and definitely didn't get off on it at all. Then there was Henry, who was this amazing guy. He wasn't an actor or musician, but a model and sought after by almost every fashion label who was worth it. They had been put together for publicity and actually found out that they had much more in common and truly liked each other, so they really did start to date. That relationship lasted two years and he was actually pretty damn fantastic in bed, but he wasn't the romantic that everyone pegged him to be. He was the rush through and get it done kind of lover. She loved the sex, don't get her wrong, but at the end of it all, it wasn't just about that. It was the way he would skip over the important things. Like foreplay.

And now there was Ross, who was proving to her right this very second that foreplay was just as important, if not more important than the act of sex itself. Not only to get the best orgasm she could possibly experience, but because it made them both feel like this was more than just a movie fling; it was more than just a month in Cape Town. It was definitely more to her and his magical foreplay skills just told her that it was more for him too.

She gasped as his fingers slid across her folds and her heart started to beat even faster than their first time. "Ross...please..." she kissed him again, her hand covering his and making his fingers do just what she wanted.

"Ah ah ah," he taunted her. "Patience."

"I'm not cut out for patience."

"Exactly why I'm making you wait for it," he winked, slinking back from her upper body and kissing her all the way down to her stomach. She watched his blond hair rise from between her legs and almost kicked him as soon as his tongue touched her. God, he was evil. So so so evil and so good all at once.

Laura grasped bunches of the blankets in her hands as he pleasured her and she was sure that this would be the greatest she'd ever have. Moans escaped her and she felt feathery kisses on her thighs before he went back in. She knew she was close, so close and screaming his name right now would not help anything, but she did it anyhow. She yelled it over and over again as she came with his tongue glazing over her and swirling inside her like she was the oxygen he needed to breathe. She still had a tight hold on the blankets in her hands and her chest was heaving, trying to catch her breath as he pulled her into another kiss that was hotter and wetter than ever before. "That was..."

"Don't say anything yet. I'm not done," he kissed her again, lifting his body up and he teased her again.

She immediately felt the tip of his penis at her entrance, like it was waiting for permission to board the ride. She wasn't anxious for it...okay, maybe she was, but she had a damn good reason to be. After the best foreplay of her life, she wanted more...and more, and more, and more. "More, Ross. More..." she begged him, her voice desperate against his kisses. Her hands roamed over his chest, her fingers dancing across his skin before they wandered down to his butt. She clutched his skin, almost urging him to enter her now.

He smiled against her lips. "Patience is really not a virtue with you." His lips went from her lips to her cheek, her shoulders and just above her breast. "Get the condom," he told her and she didn't waste any time in reaching back to his side of the bed and swiping the tiny package from inside the drawer. Their positions changed a little, with him pushing her up upon all the pillows that had gathered on the side he was laying on before. She ripped open the slim package, letting the wrapper fall to the floor and unrolled the even thinner latex over his member. As much as she wanted for him to be in her already, it was her turn to go painstakingly slow. Her fingers rolled up and down and up again before he caught onto her game and grabbed her hand away. "Tease."

"Look who's talking," she laughed back at him, a kiss sealing the couple once again. Deep into it, she broke away and tilted her head back as far as she could go; her chest coming to his face and his lips connecting with her sweet skin. She felt him move inside her, out and in, and it was almost heaven for her. It was like they were two teenagers sharing their first time together even though they were far from it. She locked eyes with him again, watching him as he went back and forth on the bed over her. She had kissed him on his nose, and with every thrust, her lips had found another place on his face to kiss. "Ross..."

"Shhh..." he told her.

Her fingers danced over him again, palms caressing his own skin from his wrists to his shoulders and down to his sides. Their gazes weren't going anywhere besides on each other and she felt herself moving to meet him at each plunge. His hand slithered under her thigh, moving it higher and giving her even more satisfaction than she thought possible, while she moved her other leg up over his thigh. She could do it. She could put this moment right here, right now as the best moment of her life. Her voice let out more joyous sounds than his grunts did as they moved together. His head dipped onto her shoulder, and lips feathered over skin just as their pace got even faster.

"Laur..." he called her name, or half of it, and the momentum speeding up more and she knew she was there again. She was going to scream and even though the walls were thick, she didn't want to scream. She dug her hands into his back, pulling him harder, her mouth covering his shoulder blade in sloppy kisses. The only thing she could think about was this and the word yes. _Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes._

No screaming be damned, she was doing it and his name suddenly turned into a deity's. She felt his hands cupping her own bottom, giving her just a little help in meeting him at his thrust. And with that one thrust, she was over her edge. She felt her climax cover him inside her and just as he started to slow down, he stopped; his body collapsing on hers, sweaty and sticky and sweet in every sense of the word. She kissed his shoulder, her arms circling around his back and nails crawling over his skin. But her mouth didn't stop there. She continued with her kisses up his neck and back to his ear. They were feathery kisses, light and quiet ones that she would never ever stop giving him even if he tried to stop her.

Ross rolled onto his back, pulling out of her in one swift motion and suddenly she felt very empty. She stayed right where she was, watching him as he pulled off the condom, which was full of his own cum. While she was also on the pill, Laura didn't want to get pregnant, and she was breathing out in relief that they had double the protection. She, nor he, could afford a pregnancy or pregnancy scare when their careers were going like they were. What they had just done had been a wonderful thing, and she knew that if there hadn't been a condom or pill, and it was just this amazing, unadulterated love, it would've been even more incredible. It would've been this kind of mind-boggling and have her eyes bulging out of her head sex..and she could not wait for that.

He rolled back over to her, still naked to the bone and kissed her again. "God, you're amazing."

"Me?" Laura said, a bit stunned by his statement. "I think it's more you than me. We can do that again and again and again and I'll never get tired of it."

He smiled into her lips. "Give me five minutes."

His fingers tangled themselves in her hair, kissing her more with their tongues, once again, dancing around each other. Yea, she would definitely never tire of this. It was her turn to push him back onto the bed and hover over him. Her hands cupping his cheek and kissing him like it was her job (she would kill for that job). Her chest met his own again, with him leaning into her this time.

"You are amazing," he whispered to her. "Laura..."

"Don't," she stopped him from saying what they were both feeling. "Don't say it. Not yet." She placed her head on his chest and pulled the thinest sheet from the bed on top of them both. While she knew it, her heart knew, her head knew, and her body definitely knew it, she didn't want to dive into it too soon. Laura had seen how it had ruined and turned her sister's life upside down from saying it too soon and she didn't want that for them. If this was for forever, which she hoped it was, she wanted them to take it day by day. No big grand gestures of the L word, no saying it after sex just because you felt like you should say it. When she told Ross that she loved him, it would be something more. Something and somewhere where it would actually mean everything.

"You know I do though, right?" He whispered so faintly that she could hardly hear it above his heartbeat.

She nodded against his skin. "Me too." A light kiss on his chest, she felt his hand draw circles on her bare back and closed her eyes. Maybe it wasn't too soon to say it. Maybe it was the right time, but even though she was giving her all to him, the L word would just have to wait a bit longer. But it would come, she was sure of it.

* * *

><p>Jenna nearly spit out her cup of coffee all over her. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."<p>

"Uh, it's okay," Laura dabbed the faint brown stain off of her grey top and looked back at her movie bestie.

"When you say slept with, you mean..."

"Slept with. It wasn't sex. It was more than that," Laura confessed as they chatted at an outdoor cafe in town. The two had escaped away from the set for an elongated lunch break and found a cute cafe not far from the hotel to talk and catch up a bit before the scenes they had later in the day. "It was wonderful."

"I assumed you already..."

"The first night? Yea, we did. But last night was different. It was actually making love and my everything just melting into him and I sound like a romance novel right now."

Jenna laughed at the faux blonde before her. "Just a bit, but that's okay. I like romance novels. Go on. You can tell me all the details and I will not look at Ross in any different matter," she paused. "At least I hope not."

"You better not."

"Look at you being all protective over your man."

Laura laughed at her own comment. She was, wasn't she? She'd never felt that way over Tony or Henry, but Ross? Yea. She was definitely insanely protective over him. He was one of the most wanted musicians in the world, had a voice that when he just uttered one note would give you an orgasm and don't even get her started on the insane but still amazing female fans he had. There were actual fan sites dedicated to each and every body part on him. Don't ask how she knew that, she just did.

"You love him, don't you?" Jenna asked, as the waiter brought out their food. "Thank you," she said as the young man left.

"That's the problem."

"It's a problem? How is love ever a problem?"

"It's complicated. I just don't want to say it too soon. I mean, we just got together and I don't want to spring this on him and him changing his mind about me and running straight back into a five year tour."

Jenna took a bite of her meal. "He wouldn't do that."

"How do you know?"

"Uh, have you seen the way he just stares at you? It's like you are the flipping stars, Laura. He wouldn't just hook up with you and ditch you. He wouldn't do that. Plus, didn't you just say that he said it to you last night without saying it?"

Laura nodded. Technically he did. And she said it right back. But was that considered their declarations of love? She was torn now. "I'm still just so worried about saying it too soon."

"Why?"

"My sister," Laura told her, eating on her sandwich. She told Jenna about Vanessa falling head over heels in love with this one man. It was a whirlwind romance and everything had been all gumdrops and sunshine and they had said the L word just weeks after they started dating. She told her that it had almost mimicked Princess Anna and Prince Hans' story from _Frozen_, that's how scary it was. The guy was using Vanessa and even though Laura had seen it, their parents had seen it, even Katie and Brian had seen it, Vanessa refused to and got her heart just torn to pieces when it all came true. Laura had hated to see her sister in such pain and it took Vanessa a long time to get over that relationship once she was out of it. "I just don't want that. The saying it too soon...I don't want to screw anything up."

"Trust me, Laura, you won't. I think if you did say it to him, it would only strengthen what you two have. You both went five years of probably feeling all these feelings and saying 'I love you' is well over due."

Laura picked at the salad on her plate, still hesitating about the whole thing. She didn't want to concentrate on that anymore. She wanted to eat and eat and eat and then find out more about Jenna and Richard and check out the cute shop they passed along the way before going to pull an all nighter on the set.

With a few more bites, and few shopping bags later, Laura and Jenna strolled up to the conference room in the hotel where Alex was telling them to go. They saw Ross talking with Godfrey and Summer was trying to out-twirl Yaya in the chairs before sitting down themselves. Not sure what the meeting was about, Laura let the bags drop between hers and Ross's chairs and was surprised when he grabbed for her hand.

"One second," he told Godfrey and pulled her chair close, kissing her for everyone that was there to see. "Hi. Enjoy lunch?"

"Hi, and very much," she smiled at him, and kept their hands together. Looking over at Jenna and her nudge, she couldn't help but blush. "Quit."

"I didn't say anything," Jenna laughed, picking up a water from the sidebar behind them. "Back to what we were talking about. We're doing the spa before I leave. You can't say no. It's a spa and relaxing and magnificent."

"I still want you to go cage diving with me."

"No sharks," Jenna said, shaking her water at her. "No sharks."

"No adventure," Laura tutted as Stevenson, Alex and the others joined them.

"Good afternoon my beautiful cast," he strode in and set his folder down on the table as the others filled up the chairs or leaned against the back walls. "Before we get started on these scenes today, we want to prep you for the press. We have all the SA press coming to set this Friday and international press on Saturday. By international, it means US and European. We're saving Oceania press for the actual premiere tour. Alex," Stevenson said, giving the rest of the meeting over to Alex, who they all knew was the one running the show for the studio while in Cape Town.

The assistant slipped his glasses on, and shuffled through some papers in front of him. "What Stevenson said. We'll be splitting you into teams. We have Jenna and Ross together, Laura and Milo, then the guards will be in one group. Gale and Godfrey, Yaya, Karen and Lala; Summer, Brian and Beth. And lastly, David, Rey, Mark and Eion. For the premiere tour, things will possibly be different. I'll let you know then since you know, we're a year or so away from that. But here is what you can talk about: the movie, the director, your co-stars, you know, the normal. What you can't? Ross and Laura."

"What?" Ross asked, not entirely clear on why they were off limits.

"For the moment, the studio wants to keep it on the movie. We have had to alert them about your relationship for anything in the future. You two just got together and while we've all been rooting for that since day one, we've got to focus on the movie right now."

"Well, we know that but why the reason for the announcement? I don't think anyone here would actually talk about us to the press." And he was right, they wouldn't.

"We give them Austin & Ally," Laura rubbed up and down his arm, reassuring him and bringing it back to the press that was coming. "You know, them grown up."

"Very grown up," Jenna muttered under her water bottle and Laura kicked over at her, her eyes narrowing.

"The SA press coming to see us are..." Alex rambled down the papers and online presences that were going to be on set that day and ran over the tentative schedule of events before handing it back over to Stevenson.

"I've heard you all talking about excursions over the past days and thanks to the studio, who are seriously putting all their pretty pennies in front of us and back of us, we're going to be going on not just one, but two. That will happen the week before everyone starts to leave. I think Laura, Ross, Milo and Gale are the ones who leave last, right?" Alex nodded in confirmation at him. "They're great excursions and we wanted to give you a real African experience before you all leave."

"Tell me it's not sharks," Summer said from her seat, giving a look to Laura.

"Come on, I'm not that crazy for suggesting that."

Stevenson laughed at them. "You're not, but it's not sharks."

Alex took over once again, giving them the outline for the day before they broke and headed to wardrobe and makeup for the day. The scenes for today weren't especially grueling for her, but they were long. It was the scenes where Magellan first arrived and was finally getting the lay of the land. Magellan was missing her plane and figuring out what she was doing there and Laura was lucky, since Beth, who played Kytla, had the majority of lines today. They were also shooting another scene with Brian and Gale that was later in the day and for good reason. It was the part where the city would disappear.

"Hold up," Ross pulled her back as the others left the room and made her sit down across from him again. "You okay?"

"Yea, I'm fine, why?"

He shrugged. "I just wanted to make sure. Maybe we talk more later tonight, about last night."

Laura stopped then and her eyes popped open. Not that they weren't wide eyes before then, now they were just stuck in shock. "Oh."

"I want you to know," Ross started as he pulled her hand up to his mouth and kissed the back of it. "Last night was amazing and..."

"You're not breaking up with me already are you?"

"What? No, God no," he paused, picking up again. "This was more about what we didn't say last night even though we both felt it."

The corners of her mouth twitched upward and before she knew it, she was kissing him again. "I think I've always felt it in some way. I just don't want to say it too soon."

"Me either. I don't want to screw this up, but last night was..."

"The best you ever had?"

His grin spread from ear to ear and he sheepishly looked down to the ground and back to her. "Would that be really girlish if I did?"

"I think you're good. Plus, it was definitely the best for me."

* * *

><p>There was no room for anything other than sleeping last night. None at all. They both were dead tired and once their shoes had been shed, they both plopped down onto her bed in her room and drifted away into dreamland. They slept like a married couple did for the first time after having a child and that said child was away at the grandparents' house for the weekend. They slept like they'd been up for a week straight and most importantly, for him, he slept like he had a whole tour bus without his family. Now back on the set, she was back in makeup and Ellie had just shown up to start on her hair. Today it wasn't twisty and curly and all over the place. Today it was sleek and straight and in the process of being pinned and sprayed and tucked into the most straight laced style she'd ever had done. Looks like it was pilot Magellan today and she was definitely okay with that and smirked about it. Ross hadn't seen her as a pilot yet.<p>

"Peter's here today?" Laura got a bit excited in the chair, making Ellie's brush make a huge dent in the style she had just put up after she told her. "Sorry."

"It's alright, but yea, he's here," Ellie took the style back down and started over, telling Laura that even Peter was all straight laced and looking 'damn sexy' in his own uniform and talking with Stevenson.

"I haven't seen him in a while. I'm so glad he's here."

"Who's here?" Beth asked while coming into the room for her own movie makeover. Coffee on her lips, she swung around to face the two and get in on the conversation. Laura filled her in on Peter, the hot and very real pilot walking around on set and his relationship with Ellie.

"You have to see their daughter. She's the most adorable human I've ever seen in my life."

"I should bring her to set before you all leave," Ellie mentioned, spraying the last bit of hair on her head before one of the makeup artists started on the rest of Laura's face.

"Yes, you have to!"

The three girls talked about the kids among them before Beth went from blonde to blueberry and she and Laura headed off to set. Spotting Peter almost immediately, she shouted his name. She didn't know exactly why she was so excited to see him, but she was. It'd been over two months since she saw him last and although their time together had been brief, she truly considered him and Ellie good friends now.

"Woah," Peter turned away from one of the PAs and saluted her. "At ease, Lieutenant Snow."

She saluted right back. "That's Captain Snow, actually."

"Ah, that's right," he snapped his fingers and gave her a hug. "Howzit."

"I'm so glad to see you. Please tell me you're here to guide my piloting ways again."

"That's why I'm here. Stevenson called me in to assist you today. Just to be sure on the dialogue of course."

"Good. I know they went through tons of experts and such, but there's nothing like having and hearing it first hand. Plus, I want to say 'pan pan' again."

Peter grinned and walked with her back over to Stevenson for final instructions before the scene started. It wasn't a tough scene, but sort of a tricky one. Not only did Stevenson bring in Peter, but he also brought in the actual plane. They'd ditched the hotel for a few days and moved onto a sound stage, making it much easier on her scene alone. The production crew were going a bit insane with the interior city set up, but other than that, Laura was kind of wondering why they hadn't been doing this all along. They talked about the emotion in the scene and how Peter's father felt when he saw his own plane damaged for the first time, giving her some tips.

"It was like his own child," Peter explained. "Dad used to talk about this all the time. The moment he saw her, he broke down in tears. It was like his baby had been hit by a ton of falling pianos. Metal was missing and some was hanging off. You could see scrapes along the fuselage, the left aileron was fighting to stay on and one of the wheels was completely gone. And the rudder, that was just a crime to even look at."

"Is that how Cheetah looks right now?"

"No, no. We got another Cheetah look-a-like here, and she's doesn't look at all like my Dad's was. She looks like she went through hell and back."

"Something I loved, I love, gets beaten and battered with all the Earth has to offer," Laura said aloud, closing her eyes and mentally preparing herself for the scene. "I can do that. Can I see the plane now?"

"No," Stevenson said from behind her. "Not until the scene. We want this as raw as we can get."

She nodded, even though she was dying to run into the hanger and see it now. But she obeyed and walked with Peter around the set, introducing him to everyone she knew before Ellie joined them once again, carrying a pilot's hat in her hands. They spoke until the director called her back and Ellie rushed off with her, giving her own pilot a kiss.

"Thank you," Laura told the wardrobe assistant, who held out the jacket she was wearing in the scene. She pulled it on while Ellie's hands plucked at her hair, messing it up just a bit like she had just awakened from a deep slumber. "Something I have in my life just saw hell," she muttered under her breath before getting notes from Stevenson.

"Good to go?" he asked both of the actresses there. "Alright, and rolling...action!"

Beth, as Kytla with her deep sapphire blue wig that she wore down, with twisting braids in and out of gold strands, walked ahead of her to the hanger. Her gold cuff covered hands typed a code into a box, and the wing started to open in front of them. "Here we are."

Laura nodded, her poise straight laced and compromised like a true professional, but as the door slid back and almost disappeared in front of them, the professionalism went out the window. Her eyes stuck to the pieces of metal stuck together in front of her. It didn't even look like a plane anymore. It was just a frame. Peter was right, this wasn't as bad as his Dad's - it was worse.

"We did everything we could," Beth's voice echoed in her ears beside her.

"Everything you could?" Laura whipped her head around, staring at her co-star with an evil glare. "This is not my plane. My plane does not even look anything like this. This is a metal frame. What the hell did you do to it? Flying through even the thickest part of the triangle would not do any of this!"

"Magellan, please..."

"No!" she silenced Beth, knowing Gale's Revon had arrived on the scene. There was nothing to do for Magellan here and there was nothing to say. There was just emotion and hurt and damn, Peter was right. It was slashing all of her heart right up seeing a plane like this. She couldn't even run her hand over the fuselage or the engines or even the wings. The only thing still left in tact, or half of it, was the cockpit. The place were she sat and flew the machine, her Frosty, into a freak storm that landed her in a new time, a new place and possibly new dimension. Laura heard Gale and Beth bicker about how Magellan couldn't and shouldn't be there, how it wasn't safe and wasn't permitted. "Not permitted?" she snapped at the two, mostly Gale.

"This isn't the place for you."

"I am a United States Air Force Captain. My place will always be with my plane."

"With all do..."

"Don't even start with me on respect. This," she pointed back to the plane, "this is what you all think of respect. You tore apart my plane."

The scene went on, her arguing with Gale before sneaking away from them both as Beth tried to restrain his character's nasty behavior towards everyone and she went back to the plane. Her hands went all over the framing slowly, reaching up into what was still the inside of the plane and coming back with nothing but soft dust.

"She needs to be taken back, Kytla. Your father..."

"My father does not need to know this. She needed this. If all this is going to work, she needs this and she will get it. Got it?" Laura saw Beth poking Gale in the chest with all the strength in her right index finger. "And don't even think about doing what's going on in your mind right now. I will turn it on you in the blink of an eye."

Stevenson cut the scene there and Laura retreated from the frame, looking back over her shoulder at it. "Okay, few notes. When Revon comes in and says that you're not supposed to be here. We're going to add to your line," he told them, handing her the new dialogue that she recognized in Peter's handwriting. "And Gale, get ready with some fighting words right back."

They read over the lines together as the crew reset the scene. Never mind her telling Ross a few days ago that their love scene was her favorite. This one just topped it.

* * *

><p>While Laura was off working on a scene, Ross was doing quite the opposite. Not sleeping or anything, but doing something he hated doing - answering emails and returning phone calls. On number forty of over one hundred email messages, Ross was already going insane. There were interview requests, photo shoot inquiries, a few follow ups from CBS about continuing their relationship onto other shows and of course, random shit from his brothers. Responding to the most important ones first - which meant Stella, then his publicist and manager, then to everything else. But the most interesting email he got was from his manager and a link to some random celebrity site - it was when his jaw dropped and his groans started.<p>

"Tau," he called to his security friend. "Is Laura off the set yet?"

He flipped through his clipboard and called in on his walkie talkie to check for him, getting an answer almost immediately. "She just wrapped and is headed this way now."

"Thanks man," Ross nodded, leaning back in the chair, before getting up and hoping to run into her...and run into her he did. He stopped just short of her as she chatted with another guy and admired the view. This wasn't the Magellan he'd been expecting. This Magellan was all uniformed up with her blues and ribbons and name tag. Her hair was pulled back into a tight twist and suddenly all he wanted to do was watch her take her hair down so he could mess it up. He knew what women thought about a man in uniform, but he was going to predict that it was just the same for men because he was hell of a lot turned on right now. He watched as she finished up her conversation with the man and caught her eye, acting like the shy boyfriend he would never thought he was. "You look so sexy right now."

He watched her bite her lip, and only turned his urges up more. "Um, thanks."

"Now, I mean, really, really sexy. The uniform..."

"Ah, so it goes both ways, I see."

"You have no idea," he said, giving her a kiss before grabbing her hand and walking her back to the unofficial break room where he was. "How was filming?"

"Good," she said and dived into telling him about Peter being on set and re-working the entire scene so it was more realistic. She told him about cussing out Gale and showing everyone that Laura Marano, or Magellan Snow, was no person to be messing with.

"I'm glad you're in a good mood, because I have something to read to you that might sour it."

Laura grabbed a bottle of water and stopped before she drank any of it. He could see her hesitation in saying anything else, her right eyebrow raising just slightly on her face. "Okay..."

Ross pulled up the site on the computer and started to read. "Could romance be on the table for Raura? Former Disney Channel stars Ross Lynch and Laura Marano, who we all know and loved as the famed duo Austin & Ally, are apparently much more than the just friends they claim to be."

"Woah, where's that from?" she pulled up a seat beside him, her eyes following along as he read aloud.

"The duo were caught in a compromising position on the beach in Cape Town, South Africa, where they're currently filming their new movie from Paramount Pictures. The could be couple were seen chatting on a bench and sharing a few intimate kisses over the weekend and sources tell that this was not for the movie at all. We can't help but wonder if Austin & Ally, or Auslly, could actually be real? Are all our Disney dreams coming true... we'll be back later with our top 10 greatest Raura fanfictions to celebrate. In the meantime, be sure to binge watch all the episodes of Laura's HBO series, _First Aid, _before the complete series is on Blu-ray later this year_._"

"What time is it in LA right now?" Laura asked, double checking his phone that she swiped from the table. "One a.m."

"We probably need to start telling our teams about us."

"Which isn't what I wanted to do," she confessed, setting his phone back down. "I wanted Cape Town to be just us, you know? No paparazzi, rumors, or silly articles..."

"Me too. I mean, it doesn't look like they did get any pictures, but still."

"I so wanted to wait until we got back and tell them then. Ugh," she took another drink.

"It's such a small site, how fast do you think anyone will actually pick that up?" Ross asked. It definitely showed that he wasn't into all the fast technology and internet life like some of friends were. If he could, he'd be back in the 1940s or 50s when there was none of that and people actually talked to one another and romanced each other and went out to have a good time. Maybe the 70s...yea, that would be his era, especially with the insane strong hair game going on.

"Fast. Like _The Flash_ fast. Do you remember when Calum finally announced he was engaged? It was a blip on some fan site and within an hour was on every major site, all over the world and I love Calum to pieces, but do you know how fast this is going to spread because it's me and it's you? You won't even have time to snap your fingers."

"So, I guess we soak all this calm up while we can?" he saw her nod, placing his hand lightly on her knee. "And call everyone later on?"

"Now I feel we have to. We should give one site the official news or something, together. I know that's what Mona will suggest."

"Stella too," Ross confirmed. They both knew their teams better than they probably knew themselves. "Ready to stay up the whole night again?"

"All night?"

"All night," he rubbed her knee lightly as she kissed him, her own hand covering his.

"Good because then we can research the charity and get our story straight and..."

"I was thinking we could do something else too," he hinted, not being any kind of subtle about it. "I mean, you, me," he kissed the tips of her fingers, "and a dance party."

That was the moment she burst out laughing and he knew she couldn't help. It wasn't really a joke, but he'd count this as one on the never ending list of Laura Jokes. "A dance party?"

"I found out the hotel has this awesome new game on the televisions. It's you versus me in the most epic dance battle ever Marano."

"Are you kidding me? That's so not fair. You are a flippin' dancer...which is exactly why you're suggesting this, aren't you? So you can win?"

"Oh, Laur, I've already won." He kissed her again before heading off to the set himself. And he had. He had won big time.

* * *

><p>FYI: YouOughtaKnow . com is not a real website, however, T.E.A.R.S is. Google it, it will make your heart smile.<p> 


	13. twelve

_This is on the borderline of T & M_

* * *

><p>Many hours and many energy drinks later, Laura had hung up her phone for the final time that night, laying back on her bed in relief that they were done with the mandatory phone calls and people to tell. Now it was just their families they had to tell. Looking over to the doorway, she watched him walk all over the kitchen area, the phone cradled in the curve of his neck as he talked to his manager. She watched him run his hands through his hair, scratching his head like it was hard to think and instantly wanted to ease all this stress they were finding themselves in.<p>

They had called the appropriate people as the wee morning hours rolled around, hoping their time calculations were actually right. They went through the movie studio again, agents, record companies, publicists and managers and now, as much as she wanted to sleep, she wanted him stress free even more. Her phone going into her charger, Laura escaped into the bathroom and started up a shower. It wasn't a bath where he could fall asleep in, but he didn't like baths anyhow. That she knew for sure. Testing the water out and adjusting it slightly, Laura came back out to check out him and found him sitting on the edge of the bed, rubbing his temples.

"You okay?"

"You remember the season three finale of _Austin & Ally_?"

"Yea, definitely remember that."

"I feel like it's happening in real life," his body flopped back onto the bed. "It's not that it's that bad, I can just feel all of it and I'm being swallowed."

She took his hand then, pulling him up and towards the bathroom. "But Austin and Ally got through everything together, and so will we. We need to relax and a steamy shower is just the way to do it."

"You're so lucky we have a late call time."

"Don't you know it," she smiled up at him, rolling up the hem of his shirt and pulled it off of him, not caring where it landed on the floor. Ross rubbed his hands down her arms as she loosened his belt and snaked it out of his pants. "How were your other calls?"

His hands kneaded over her skin, making her feel much more relaxed like she wanted him to be. "Easy actually. I think Stella was jumping out of her shoes," he snickered as she pushed down his pants. "How were yours?"

"Good. Mona liked the quote we came up with for _People_."

"I'm glad. We have great teams."

"We do," she kissed him quickly as her thumbs went underneath the waistband of his boxers. Pushing them down inch by inch, she started to crawl down his body with the fabric and smiled wide as she came face to face with his manhood. She kissed it lightly before backing him up into the hot shower.

"You're not coming with me?"

"I'll be in in a minute. I promise."

And she was. Laura pulled her hair up into a ponytail, and stripped of her clothes faster than she thought she ever had. Leaving them were they lay, she headed back into the bathroom and smiled as she heard him singing into the shower head. Trying to be as quiet as she could, she stepped inside and smirked even more while watching him move every inch of his body to the beat of the song. She actually had to bite her lip when she saw him wiggle his butt back and forth.

"I'm talking 'bout starting out as friends, I'm talking 'bout real and not pretend. I'm talking 'bout roles of a lifetime, you and I can even write the end," he sang into the water, letting it drench him from head to toes as she grabbed the loofah on the side of the shower and lathered it up with wash formula. "Here comes that movie scene, one you hate so cliche..."

She let the water run over the loofa and came closer to him, letting the rag sit on his back before guiding it into circles on his back. "You know that's still my favorite song of yours."

"Funny how it's all coming true," he said, trying to look behind him over her small frame while she kept washing his back, before throwing it on the side of the stall and started to rub his shoulders with her hands, getting the tension out of them.

She sang out the lyrics that followed, "That moment when we kissed, by the lake pouring rain."

He turned around then, her hands going from his back to his chest. She didn't anticipate being scooped up into his arms, but she wasn't complaining either. He wasn't kissing her, not yet at least. His nose rubbed over hers and you know that moment that's the most exciting part of kissing? Where it's just before your lips meet and the excitement and anxiousness are bottling up in every inch of your bod? Well, right now, hers was exploding. His lips were so close to hers and she wanted to do nothing but capture them and never let go. "I ain't no superman," he sang against them, in the lowest possible voice. "But I can change your world. Oo oo oo oo, here comes forever girl."

She was gone again, stealing the kiss away before he stole it from her. She heard the rag on the wall drop to the floor, and her hands clawed over his slippery skin, over to the back of his neck. Just like a few nights before, everything was just sensual and although she was afraid to say it aloud at the moment, she knew this was it. This was love and she was never ever going back. "Ross..." she whispered as he completely ignored her, his lips over hers again. He pulled her up and her legs wrapped around his waist, turning her around and underneath the warm water. There went trying to save her hair for the next day. Pinning her in the corner, the sensual kiss turned into a heated union and she didn't even have time to think before he was sliding in and out of her with urgency. "God, yes," she muttered, her legs almost going limp around him.

He kissed along her shoulder blade, holding her up with one arm while the other found her breast, massaging one before trickling down between them and his fingers found her clit.

"Oh Lord," Laura threw her head back against the tiles. "Don't. Ever. Stop." And he didn't. He stop driving into her and it was sending her over the edge fast and if she felt right, him too. Her eyes glazed over, rolling from side to side as she felt him let go inside her.

"Dammit, Laura," he said, his mouth all over her neck as he slowed his pace. "The things you make me do."

Her legs were already rubber and as he let her down and slipped out of her, she wasn't sure if she could actually stand with out his help. "Is that a good thing?"

He kissed her again, still pinning her in the corner and grasping her wrists against the tiles. The water was still streaming over them and she got her wrists back, letting her hands slide over his skin and onto his face. "You're going to be the death of me," he told her before she kissed him again.

"I'll make it nice and slow then."

* * *

><p>It was the day of their first round of press interviews and they were up early to talk about the movie and their adventures in Cape Town. Ross downed the cup of coffee in his hands while Jenna got her makeup touched up ahead of their fifth interview of the day. They had talked of their characters common field, shooting in Cape Town, experiencing everything they could and dodging questions about his and Laura's off-camera relationship as well as they possibly could.<p>

"That is like your fourth cup, Ross," Jenna said beside him, smacking her lips against the other after the makeup artist reapplied a fresh coat of pink gloss to them. "You're going to be jumping off the walls soon."

"I'll be okay," he assured her, drinking the last bit of what was left in his cup.

She raised an eyebrow, and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Does the coffee help you go at it like bunnies?"

Ross's head shot up and he let out a yelp. "What?"

"Are you forgetting that your girlfriend tells me things? Which, I need you to tell Richard about, to be honest. Me and him are going to have some amazing lays when I get home."

He let his head drop in his hand, shaking it slightly and was not ready to face her knowing that his face was now the exact shade of candy apple red.

"But coffee, load up on it."

"I'm going to kill her," he muttered under his breath.

"Don't do that. Well, unless killing her is a euphemism for sex and in that case, do it."

A whistle echoed around the room, grabbing both their attentions. "Kill the sex talk, and I do mean kill it," another PA, Eric, told them both as another reporter entered the room. "This is Amanda from Cape Town Magazine."

"Morning Amanda," Ross greeted her ahead of Jenna before diving into the questions she had for them. Her questions were good too, they weren't the dull ones, the routine ones. Of course, she wanted to know about the movie, their characters and such, but asking about which superhero their characters would take on and win was one of the best questions he had answered all day. He knew Rory would lose, but taking on Thor would be the best situation ever in his mind.

They talked about other upcoming projects and sidelined all the ones about their personal relationships. Amanda had asked about music for the film and if R5 would be in it anywhere.

"That is a good question. When I was first reading for this movie, I had no clue I would get it at all but I remember sitting in the green room and reading the sides. There was no description for the movie, nothing but I knew that just by the sides, I wanted to be involved someway. Whether it be the role, which thankfully I got, or the soundtrack or even just being at every premiere from the first to the last, I was going to do it," he explained and shrugged his shoulders. "I know that if the studio was interested, we'd possibly be open to doing it. It all just depends if they ask."

"What kind of song would you put on the soundtrack?" Jenna took the turn asking him.

"I'd love it to be for my fight scene. There's one part of the movie where I just attack this other guy and putting R5 music to it would be amazing. Hard rock mixed with our soft tone. It'd be pretty awesome."

Amanda went on with her questions about them living in Cape Town and the local air around them before Eric wrapped it up again and he and Jenna went right back to where they left off.

"I can't believe she tells you everything."

"Not everything...just the details. Okay, maybe it is everything. But it's good. You two are my favorites," Jenna playfully shoved his shoulder. "Oh, I heard her talking about TEARS earlier today. When are you going?"

That was right. The charity they had picked out. Somehow, after every other night of sex and complete ecstasy, visiting the organization had completely slipped his mind. "I have no idea."

"When you decide, let me know. I'll round up everyone and we'll go with you. Even Gale can't say no to dogs."

He nodded as Eric ushered in the next reporter for another interview. This one definitely was not as interesting as the last one. Instead of asking them about the movie, like she was instructed to, she asked about him and Laura instead. Needless to say, there was nothing she could really print in her magazine.

The room over from them, Laura was letting Milo do most of the talking for their interviews. They had had fun with Amanda, and even more fun with Charlie, from Cape Times, who brought in his own game. Saying goodbye to the last one, Laura had her makeup touched up lightly and Ellie fixed her hair around before Milo mentioned the organization to her as well. "Oh, crap," she immediately covered her mouth. "How did I totally forget about that? We need to go like this weekend."

"I know Jenna and Yaya were talking about it yesterday. I'm in too."

"Really? Cool," Laura smiled and reached for her phone that was conveniently tucked under her leg. She quickly texted Ross about visiting this weekend and made another note to call the offices and schedule a time. That was one thing that she couldn't leave Cape Town without doing, especially since they still had the money from the pool sitting securely in her room's safe. Placing the phone back where it was, she greeted the next reporter with a big smile.

"Milo, Laura, this is Josef, from South Africa Today," their designated PA for the day introduced them.

"Hi Josef," Milo waved to the man sitting down in front of them. "Whatcha got for us?"

* * *

><p>After wrapping up both days of interviews and filming some of their last scenes with everyone still there, Laura and Ross were ready to go play with some animals at the TEARS organization. So ready that Laura was tapping her foot against the solid floor underneath her and checking the clock every two seconds, swinging her head back and forth at the elevator to see which of their co-stars would actually emerge from it first.<p>

"Laur, calm down. They said they'll be down in a minute."

"That minute passed fifteen minutes ago."

She saw him laughing at her and gave him a glare. "What? You're extremely cute when you're anxious for something. Sue me," he slipped her a wink and leaned back on the desk in the front lobby. "Are you excited for today?"

"Yea," her mood instantly changed around once he asked her. She wanted to see the puppies and cats and meet the people involved and just fall in love with the organization even more than she had just from stalking their website every day. "There's this one dog named Gallahad and he's possibly the cutest thing I've seen ever."

"Hey now," he pulled on her hand, bringing her closer to him. "Do I have to turn into a jealous boyfriend over this Gallahad?"

"You might," she teased him back. "He's a real cutie, but he's got a sister named Bronwyn that I can introduce you to."

Ross didn't even have to respond to her and just gave her a kiss right there. "I'm excited too."

"Okay, now. Rule #1, no making out in the backseat," Godfrey came up to them, putting some space between them again.

They both rolled their eyes and saw that not only did Jenna, Godfrey and Milo come, but so did Yaya, Summer, Harrison, Chen...basically the entire cast besides Mark, Brian and David. David had already wrapped and headed back to England while Mark and Brian were preparing for another scene at the hotel.

The group commandeered one of the vans to take out to the organization and Laura could hardly contain her excitement, showing her fave Gallahad off to everyone and telling them all he was hers. The ride wasn't long and Godfrey and made sure there wasn't any time for a makeout by cornering Ross in the back seat, two rows away from Laura, which she laughed about. Stepping out of the van, Laura jumped up and down a bit, her girlish excitement taking over for a moment just as a woman came out to greet them.

"Hi, you must be Laura."

"Yes, I am. Are you Marilyn?"

"That would be me. Welcome to TEARS."

Laura talked with Marilyn as they walked into the place and she immediately lit up with joy. She saw a few workers feeding the dogs and others playing with them. Her eyes darted all over the place while listening to Marilyn and what the organization was doing to the animal population in Cape Town. Laura was a goner, she was totally in love with the mission, the people, the animals...just everything and she hadn't even met Gallahad yet.

"We're so glad you're here. Some of my employees will be taking you around to meet the dogs and cats and you're more than welcome to stay as long as you want and if you'd like you can take them all for a walk or two. They love their walks."

"Thank you so much Marilyn," she told her, waving Ross over to her side. "We also wanted to give you this. The cast had a sort of pool going around the set and we've decided that the money should definitely go to an amazing charity. Yours is definitely the most amazing we've seen. Please accept this on the movie's behalf."

Ross handed over the money envelope to Marilyn. "We apologize that it's all cash. We really didn't have any time to convert it to a check here."

"You...you all didn't have to do this," Marilyn got a little choked up with the amount of rand in the envelope. "This is an amazing donation. Thank you so much." Marilyn didn't try and fight the actual tears in her own eyes and hugged Laura tight.

"We want you to do amazing things with this place and if you ever need our support from the States, you let me know."

"This money is just, it's going to go a long way. We have a few felines who need surgery and this will help them live to see at least five more lives."

"We're glad," Ross spoke up. "Point me in the direction of those cats."

And Marilyn did just that, having one of the workers take over and show the cast around the place. While Laura met her Sir Gallahad and his sister, Ross was very popular with the cats. Each and every one of them. Summer had to pull Laura away from the dogs to see the most amazing thing about their visit - Ross getting so much feline love.

"This, is so going on Twitter," Laura smiled, recording a short video of about ten tiny kittens from the organization crawling all over him. There were black, white, and red heads all over his shoulders, one on his head and another with a paw on his nose. "Hey Ross, what are you doing?" Laura asked him, her phone making this memory last forever.

"I'm getting attacked by fur. Lots of it."

She turned the camera back to her. "This will break the internet, right everyone? #CatsAttackRoss." She closed her phone, deciding to upload it later on and snuck it back into her pocket before pulling one of the many kittens off of his head. "Well, hello sweetie," she cooed to the solid white and simply stunning baby of them all. "How did I not know that you're a cat person?"

"I didn't think I was," he laughed as Summer helped him take another one off of his shoulder. "But they're cuties."

Laura cradled the white one still in her hands, softly petting it's fur. "They really are." Handing the kitten back to the employee, she pulled Ross with her back to the canine area and introduced him to Gallahad. "And this one is Bronwyn and this babe is Zaelia," Laura told him, giving them just as much loving as he did the kittens. This time around though, it was his turn to get her on camera.

"Hey Laur, whatcha doing?"

She looked up and couldn't stop laughing from the kisses she was getting from Gallahad and his girlfriends. "Not getting attacked by fur."

"I hope Velvet won't get jealous over this," he said off camera, as he kept recording the cute moment before Gallahad went in for another kiss for her. "No way, Gallahad. That's my girl."

The couple played with and fed the animals before Ross got another dose of kitten love and they decided to take the dogs for their walk. Gallahad, Bronwyn and Zaelia led the way while Ross held onto her hand and balancing two leashes in his other, and she had Gallahad on her side. She was loving this, every moment of it. It was like they were a tiny little family and it had her giddy all over.

"Before we leave, I want to take you on a date," he announced in the middle of their walk.

"A date?"

"Yea, a date. You know, where I come pick you up at your room, give you flowers, buy you dinner..."

"Are you for real?"

"You don't want to go on a date with me?" He stopped, feigning the hurt.

"No, no, I do. I just wasn't expecting that. I'd love to go on a date with you."

"Without the dogs?"

She giggled at his notion. "Without the dogs," she said, kissing him again before they stopped to enjoy their surroundings. "Will you tell me what we're going to do on the date?"

"Well..." he turned to her, and she could see him thinking about telling her anything about it. If she had to call it like it was right now, he had nothing in mind except taking her out and that was it. "I don't know. I kind of want to keep it a surprise for you."

"That's not fair."

"Yes it is," he smiled and let go of her hand really quickly, trying to get Bronwyn and Zaelia untangled from around his legs. It seemed that Ross was just a general animal person and it only added to what she loved about him. "Plus, I have no clue what we're doing yet."

She looked around their surroundings and down the long straight road they arrived on. It wasn't the best view, in fact it kind of sucked. They were halfway between the Cape of Good Hope and the South Atlantic Ocean, but this area was kind of flat. She could barely see the Table Mountain off in the distance but that didn't seem to matter to her, or him. They were comfortable here, just walking three dogs that she was falling in love with and wanted to take home, down a little road. They didn't talk, they just enjoyed everything about the moment and it was everything. Her grandmother's stories kept invading her mind again because it was just like a moment between the elder couple that Laura loved.

_It's not the only way he holds your hand, it's not just how he squeezes it and runs his fingers over your thumb. It's more. It's how even though he could be talking his mouth off about something, he's not. He's comfortable just being next to you. I remember how he took me on a walk one Christmas Eve. It was freezing cold and I had forgotten my gloves, so he pulled my hand in his, gloved them up and then buried it in his pocket. It was such a simple gesture but it was that moment where I knew that I loved him as much as he loved me._

* * *

><p>They had returned to the kennels shortly after and headed back to the hotel with the rest of the cast, and she had uploaded her little video of Ross to her Twitter feed, getting ready for the comments and reactions of their fans to come. Once they got settled back in, they did something different and actually spent the night apart. It was the first time they've done it in a few weeks since getting together and it was very spontaneous. It was one of those nights were Ross was pulled out to the city with the guys and Laura actually wanted to hit the gym before just relaxing the night away and finishing up her mountains of emails she knew were sitting in her inbox.<p>

It was a good feeling up until she didn't think she could move her legs anymore on the treadmill. She didn't typically do the treadmill game, but it was either that and it's 4% incline or running around Cape Town and getting lost very easily. She had blasted music in her ears and drowned out everything around her and possibly in her mind. It had started as a stress reliever, especially after she worked on _Scandal_ and Emmy rumors were swirling around her like a tornado. Now it was something she truly enjoyed. It was her time to unwind and escape, but then again, her exercise the past couple of weeks had been good too...extremely good.

Pulling out the headphones from her ears, Laura placed the gadgets on the table and headed straight for the sofa in her room before flying down on it, face first. It wasn't late in Cape Town and glancing at the clock quickly and doing a bit of subtraction in her head, Laura shot right back up and grabbed her phone, speed-dialing her sister. She knew Vanessa was up, she had to be since she had just booked a new series on USA and was killing it on set...or so she heard from her mom in an email.

"Tell me you slept with him and we are finally having Raura babies."

Laura nearly choked on her own laugh at Vanessa, not expecting her to answer any phone call like that. "Are you serious? That's how you greet me?"

"I thought it was better than 'about time', which I'm positive Mom and Dad will tell you."

She rubbed her head with her hand, flipping over onto her back while kicking her shoes off. "They already did. Several times in fact. I just hope there's no party that anyone is planning about this because that would just be...no. No party, no celebration, nothing."

"I'm not planning anything. I'm just super happy this finally happened. Took you long enough. Do I get to hear details?" Vanessa asked.

Laura bit her lip, deciding against it. She'd save that for a face to face conversation. It was much better in person anyhow. Instead, Laura pulled the conversation to Vanessa's show and everything that went along with it. She found out about her co-stars, San Francisco where she was filming, and the fun storylines. The show was basically about a smart ass real estate agent who decided to take matters into her own hand when the market crashed. She became a flipper and the first flip she bought turned out to be a money pit if there ever was one. It was there that the agent met her new friends, a new love interest and some friendly ghosts.

"Do I get to guest star on this one too?"

Vanessa laughed at her. It was almost like it was meant to happen. Every show that Vanessa was on or Laura was on, sans _Austin & Ally_, the two were guest stars on. They would either star as sisters, long lost sisters, cousins or some type of look a like. It was also a remedy for ratings for the networks too. "Never say never," Vanessa warned her.

They stayed on the phone for a while and by the time they said goodbye it was almost three hours later. Damn, she definitely missed her sister. Once Laura got back, she must steal her sister away from San Francisco and have a girls weekend, and possibly bring Rydel on the ride. She so missed Ross's sister a ton. Pulling herself off the sofa, Laura grabbed for her laptop on the table next to her and opened up her email once again. She had tried the other night to go through it all, but it was just too daunting a task and Ross was too tempting. Yes, she could totally blame him for it. Scrolling down her important label, she opened each and every one from her team, saying yes or no to photo shoots and magazine covers. She said no to even more interviews at the moment and yes to a few other opportunities. Laura actually squealed over the possibility of scoring a fashion contract. She would actually be in heaven if that happened.

Switching labels on her inbox, she headed to her Twitter notifications and laughed again when she saw how much everyone loved the #CatsAttackRoss video...and after going out to the actual website, he was trending as well. "Oh, he's just going to love this," she said aloud, texting him really fast about it. She noticed Calum's retweet and reaction to it and almost lost it before seeing his own mother's. This was just going to last a lifetime and it was the best thing she probably posted in a while.

Opening up a new email to her publicist, Laura quickly queried her about actually giving another interview to someone about the charity and giving them a few photos she had taken during their visit. She knew some of the papers she had a good relationship with would love it. Deleting her spam, and the other useless emails she wasn't going to even bother with, Laura flipped on the television and landed on old re-runs of _Who's The Boss_ before heading into her kitchen for some snacks and the next day's scenes to shoot. Looking them over as she popped a carrot stick in her mouth, Laura was surprised at just how thin it was. Looks like they were really wanting to get to the excursions before everyone left instead. That was okay with her too.


	14. thirteen

Ross Lynch was in a wetsuit. A complete wet suit, from neck to toe, that showed off just about every muscle and body part he had. Pulling up the tank on his back with the help of one of their guides, he was almost ready to jump in the water and make some new seal friends. The entire cast had got up early this morning, inhaled the coffee that was given to them and took a full scuba course before heading out to Duiker Island for their second excursion of the week. Earlier in the week, they had all made the trip to Sanbona Wildlife Reserve and met back up with Olympia where she gave them a true personalized tour of the park. He had even met one of the rare white lions that roam around before checking up on his favorite giraffe in the world, Livhu. The animal had seemed to been calmer when they visited which only made him want to stay longer than they had planned to spend time with him.

"Alright, Ross, double check all your equipment," the guide, Logan, told him and did his own check. "Fins, mask, tank, watch, snorkel, light. You are all set, mate."

"Nice," he nodded, looking around the boat and watching everyone else getting suited up.

"Oh my God, look at the dolphins!" Margarita pointed out on the port side of the boat.

He peered over the edge and saw the mammals coming close to them. While he loved the safari they took, this was turning out to be pretty cool too...and they hadn't even gotten in the water yet. He was just glad there were no cages around and definitely no sharks. Logan and the other guide had assured them of that (they were more south). Ross tightened the buckle from the tank around his middle before looking over at Laura getting ready with Yaya. While he wanted her protected from everything, it was a shame she had to cover up her bikini.

"Alright, you lot. We've got Yaya, Laura, Gale, Brian, Mark, Chen and Ross in our first group. Second group is Milo, Jenna, Lala, Eion, Harrison, and Gavin. Third group is Chen, Godfrey, Karen, Margarita, Rey and Summer," Logan announced, rambling off the names. "Since all the groups are big, Brea and I both will be going down with you and David here will be boat captain for a while. Who's ready?"

A compelling sounds of hoots and hollers came from the group, almost out-barking the seals around them. Ross grabbed Laura's hand beside him and walked her over to the stern where they would jump off at. "I feel like saying Geronimo."

"Geronimo? I'd go with a you jump, I jump Jack reference."

"But that's _Titanic_ and it's the part where they're minutes away from dying in frigid waters. Geronimo is better."

"Oh dear Lord, don't say Geronimo," Jenna told the both of them from behind. Since she was in the second group, she had to wait a bit before getting her turn in the water. "I had to hear that for two years on _Doctor Who_. I'm Geronimo-ed out for the next ten."

Laura looked up at Ross then, with a smile on her face.

"Alright, group one, you're in whenever you're ready," Logan gave them the go ahead with Brea already in the water.

Pulling their masks and snorkels on, they both muttered Geronimo before diving in and swimming over towards Brea and Chen who had dived in just ahead of them. It didn't take long before the seals were surrounding them and there weren't just five or six, there were hundreds; the curious little beasts they were, they had jumped off the island as soon as the boat arrived and were just waiting for everyone on the boat to come and play with them. The water was freezing more than he expected it to and swam a few inches over as the others came into the water but stopped once he almost ran into one of the seals. Laura went the other way, running to some of the other seals around her which were smaller than the ones he was encountering.

He saw Logan and Steve, the owner of the excursion, taking pictures with their underwater cameras while they swam around with the animals. So, he loved the safari - checking out all the different land animals, and the big five, but this, this was cooler. This was an entirely different world. Fish swam by, vibrant colors caught his curiosity and he danced like he was having a seizure with one of the males. Swimming back over to Laura, he motioned to Logan to swim over to them. It was an off-of-the-top-of-his-head idea he just had. Getting a shot of them kissing while surrounded by seals? Yea, that'd be a great shot. Plucking the snorkel out of her mouth, he pulled her closer to him and closed his lips on top of hers. She kissed him right back and he didn't know if it was out of surprise and she liked it a lot or if she was just trying to suck all the oxygen out of him and into her own lungs. But it didn't matter, especially later when they finally saw the shot Logan took. It was perfect.

* * *

><p>After heading back to the hotel to clean up from the salty water, the cast headed right back out again towards Cape Point for their wrap dinner. Most of them were a bit tired from the excursion, while the other half were just hungry. Laura, however, was trying to get her phone under control. Days after #CatsAttackRoss was trending, it still wasn't done. Notifications, responses, parodies were still popping up on her phone.<p>

"That's all your fault you know," he told her, holding onto her hand as they walked into the restaurant behind the others. He knew she was going to come back with a 'no, it's not' and he stopped that before it could even start. "Yes, it is. You were the one who uploaded it in the first place."

"You could've told me not too."

"Ha, yea. Just like I could've told you not to try the salmon at that one place we went to the other night."

She remembered the salmon. It was way too good and he was right. She had had her mind made up and there was no way he was going to convince her otherwise. He stopped her walking and took the phone away from her, tucking it inside his jacket.

"I know you're going to probably find a way to take it back, but I'm still holding it hostage. Let's go eat and have a good time."

"You're right," she pecked his lips, not needing to go on her tiptoes thanks to the three inch heels on her feet. "By the way, that shot you 'planned' was pretty great."

He slipped her a wink as they headed up to the private dining area at Two Oceans Restaurant where the first thing they both saw was the view - and it was spectacular. On the clearest day, you could see to the ends of the Earth, right to the point where explorers would once upon a time "fall off". The waters were the bluest of blues, crashing against the jagged edges of the rocks and slowly onto the flat shores in between them. A rich gold filled the sky from the ball of fire that was still warming their part of the planet for another few hours. It was possibly the grandest view he'd ever seen - and that included seeing the best of them from Rio de Janeiro to Tokyo. "Wow." Ross's eyes glazed over the view, bypassing the stunning place settings on the long table and he headed over to where Gale and Godfrey were talking, letting go of Laura's hand, who was tugging on his to go the other way.

Shaking their hands, they dived right into a conversation about their excursion earlier in the day and Ross was into it...but just not as into it as he was into the view. He could get lost in it for hours upon hours and seeing Laura up on the edge of the wall looking out at it - he was a goner. It was a view that he would never get used to and always wanted to see. Picking up two of the white wines on the table, he headed over to her.

Her dress, one that he had questioned at first when she showed him at the hotel, was perfect on her. He had honestly thought she was overdressed for the occasion, but he wasn't complaining anymore. It was a light material with an even lighter striped pattern over it with a high neckline that flipped into a deep backline and medium length sleeves. Cinched at her waist with the skinniest white belt and a hem that was higher in the front and longer in the back, showing off almost all of her legs. Damn, those legs. She probably thought it wouldn't tempt him too much, but in reality, it was tempting him more than anything right now. "I love this view," he announced himself, sliding over one of the glasses.

"It's pretty wonderful, isn't it?" she took a sip of the light drink and snaked her hand down to his, her fingers clasping around his own.

If this hadn't had been the cast wrap dinner, if Stevenson hadn't chosen the coolest place to have it, if they hadn't had been actually wanting to hang with their co-stars tonight and say goodbye to the ones who were leaving them behind in just a few days, this would've been the most perfect romantic date with her. Of course, he had to hope the food was just as good as the view and the company. Now, he just had to top this...and he knew right then, he needed help. _Ask Jenna_, Ross reminded himself and made a mental note in his brain to do so before she left the country. While he had her number and everything now to contact her, he actually needed to see plans and write them out and he knew Jenna could help him with everything. He wanted their date to be better than this. He wanted it to be fun and spontaneous and something she'd never experienced before. In truth, he actually wanted to sweep Laura so high off her feet that she wouldn't ever want to come down. Looking back out at the view after kissing the top of her head, Ross knew he definitely needed Jenna's help.

"Look at my beautiful cast!"

They turned to see Stevenson in his Sunday best along with Alex, Patricia and some of their other assistants and people who definitely had actually put their blood, sweat and tears into making the movie here.

"You all clean up really nice," he joked with them before going into his speech of the night. "A lot of people have heard of my reputation for making these ridiculously long speeches at the end of all my movies. I think for _Salvage_, my speech was an hour long. I'm not going to do that to you, making you listen to my voice for that much time because Lord knows, you've heard it enough over the course of four months, right?" The group laughed at him. "I'm just going to raise my glass to the crew, who are the people I would not be here without, and the cast, who are going to convince the world that they're Oscar worthy in about a year's time. We watched some of the first finalized footage today at the hotel and as a treat, besides this view and this amazing food, you'll all get to see as well. I may be biased, but it's kind of fantastic. We still don't have an official title for this movie, but we're getting there. So, here's to The Ten, who found their way back to their roots, became the coolest friends I only wish I was a part of, and became something more," Stevenson looked straight at Ross and Laura then, "Salut!" The cast and crew raised their glasses, clinking them together and agreed with every word he had just said.

The group - which was well over forty people - ate, they laughed, they were loud. It was way too wonderful in his eyes. He mingled and chatted with the production crew, showing off the photos he had on his own phone of Laura and the others working with TEARS the other day and even pulled out hers to show off the #CatsAttackRoss video. "Apparently, I was trending."

The sun was setting and the sky turned a deep violet, settling over the cool waters in the distance as the wait staff brought out a screen for them to watch the first official footage from the movie on. "Okay, now," Stevenson announced, "this is some of the very first footage you all shot out in Little Karoo. If you remember, it's also where we have a bit of a showdown between Karen and Laura and if I say so myself, it's quite awesome. Laura's got some claws." Stevenson winked at her and Ross pulled her closer, giving her another kiss on her temple.

"Don't have to tell me," he whispered into only her ears and watched her turn a pinker shade of blush. She leaned back into him and together, they watched her become a badass on the screen. While it wasn't her big fight scene with Karen, it was still one of them and looked pretty damn cool. Laura had gone from being the stereotypical Southern belle to a feisty pilot ready to kick some ass, and he was definitely behind the latter. He watched her fight against Karen, and watched the others try and hold the both of them off each other. He remembered having to pull her away from the scene by lifting her up from the ground, her feet still kicking out at Karen's character Izel. This was a good first look for them and he could not wait to see more. The footage faded into black and applause came from everyone.

"Everyone remind me not to get into a fight with Laura," Godfrey said from across the table.

"I would so kick your butt," she laughed about it.

* * *

><p>Back in her tape ribbon knitted dress, Laura was thankful that she was at least back in the slippers too. Today was the gallery shoot and they had two photographers with them, walking around the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. A new set of epaulettes rested on her shoulders while Ellie secured new chains around and inside her golden hair. Milo was off being all Ridayh and mysterious on the north side of the park where they were, showing off his imaginary gardens to the world.<p>

"I can't believe we're almost done," she said.

"I know," Ellie said. "I'm so going to miss you lot. Especially you and your hair and you letting me do everything to it."

Laura laughed. That was true. If Ellie ever moved to the States, Laura would make sure she'd be on every set she worked on for the foreseeable future. She liked Ellie that much. The wind pulled the curls into her eyes and she pulled the strands out of her face slowly just as she saw Ross talking with Jenna across the way.

"Laura, you're up next," Alex came around and waved her over to follow him. While Milo was shot on the north side, Gale, Brian and Beth were south, Jenna and Ross were west and she was east; and the east gardens, if she had to say so herself, were the prettiest. They weren't flat or manicured, but instead were abundant with fire lilies and protea, and the irises and the most beautiful apricot tulips she'd ever laid her eyes on. With Ellie beside her, Laura got re-introduced to the local photographer who'd be taking the shots. He was a young guy but extremely talented by the images he showed her of Yaya, Eion and Mark he had taken earlier in the day. They were stunning. Eion and Mark were on a boat in the ocean and Yaya had been at the hotel, surrounded by ancient looking items that screamed of her character Danielle. She couldn't wait to see what he'd do with her.

"Alright, Laura, I'm just going to follow you around the gardens, so anything that you want to do, do it."

"Really?"

"That's how I do," he told her. "We're going to do shots of you and the plane later on."

Laura smiled and looked around the garden, lightly walking around. For this, she was Magellan, and Magellan was curious. She stopped at each of the flowers, ran her hands along the tops of them. She looked around her, up and down, shielding her eyes from the bright sun. She took her slippers off and carried the long train of the dress in her hands as she walked towards the base of the mountain up ahead. She did everything she could around the gardens before laying down at the base of a giant protea planet. Ellie came in then, fixing her hair and giving her the lip gloss to plump up her pout.

"Oh, this one is going to be perfect," the photographer told her, grabbing as many shots as he could of where she was. He pulled back to look at the image on his camera and smiled big. "I so have a crush on Magellan now." He crouched down and gave her a glimpse of a few of the photos, making sure she also liked them and it wasn't even a question for her. Who knew she could actually look like that and pull it off?

"Oh, this is my favorite," Laura pointed it out with Ellie behind her sneaking a peek. "These are great." With her slippers back on her feet, Laura and Ellie followed the photographer back to the north gardens where Ross and the others had congregated. Ellie went to Jenna to fix up her hair and they waited for the next shots Alex had lined up. The group images came and went before it was just her and Ross left at the end.

The photographer, Ellie, Alex and Nikki headed over to Clifton Beach where they had wanted the couple pictures of Magellan and Rory. It was quite a romantic picture, if she said so herself. Her hair was straightened for the pictures, with softer chains hanging lightly from one side and she had completely ditched her shoes. A different dress - this one yellow and gray - hung over her shoulders with epaulettes that were possibly made of clouds. Ross, on the other hand was still very much the same, except he had ditched his vest and black tee for a gray muscle shirt instead. Ross had grabbed her hand in the images, only hanging onto a few fingers and lead her across the sandy beach.

"You guys, these look like they could be engagement photos," Ellie said as she looked at them and placed her hand on the photographers arm. "I am going to need your card. Peter and I will definitely be needing you."

Laura looked back at Ross after Ellie's comment, searching for a reaction. While he didn't say any words, she did get a kiss on her nose and he held tightly onto her from behind. That was all the reaction she needed. Quickly getting changed back into their regular clothes, they wrapped the shoot and headed back to the hotel, fully intent on just relaxing for the rest of the night...and that's exactly what they did.

They were in her room, spread out all over the sofa and watching whatever was on the television in between going over their lines for the next day when she noticed him keep checking his phone.

"Not cheating on me already are you?"

He looked over at her and scoffed. "Like that would ever happen," he told her and slipped the phone back on the table. "But I'm not going to tell you anything about that yet either."

She narrowed her eyes at him as he brought her feet up on his lap, letting her stretch out her shorter limbs. Her tricks to get him to tell her everything list was short, but effective. With him still reading his script and new sides for the next day, the only thing without jumping him right there (although that was still an option) was to do it so slow and so subtly. Her toes tipped along the top of his leg. She was trying for seductive, but wasn't sure it was working...until he stopped her toes and covered them with his hand. He looked over at her again with his left eyebrow raised.

"Really?"

"It was worth a shot," she shrugged before his phone rang instead of the beep for his text messages. She was kind of disappointed when he set her feet back on the couch and stood up to take the call, but then again, she was very intrigued at this point. Watching him nod and say 'mmhmm' many times into the phone, Laura left her script on the sofa and went closer to him, trying to get at least a hint of who he was talking too. She wasn't normally this nosy, but with his promise of a date soon, she wanted to be spoiled. As he hung up, she knew he wasn't expecting her to be almost right on his toes.

"Still not getting any hints."

"Come on. Give me something..."

He smirked at her and instead of giving her hints, he kissed her instead. She wasn't really complaining about the kiss, but she'd rather have a hint. She really, really wanted to know. He broke the kiss shortly after and headed to the bedroom. Laura watched him ditch his shirt and jeans, slipping into the bathroom before sliding in the bed. Shutting down the main room and locked the door, she slipped out of her clothes and put on an old tee shirt just as he came out of the bathroom. She had every intention of tempting him again to spill what he was talking about and who he was talking to, but as soon as her head hit the pillow, all her energy seemed to have disappeared. His arms circled around her and just as she returned the kiss on her nose with one on his, they slept.

* * *

><p><em>Quick note: Just wanted to give you all a thank you for following, reviewing and favoriting this story. Hopefully you all keep reading and keep liking; and are inspired to read the next story I post. Also, shout out to Luckystarz910 for nominating me for the Best of Austin and Ally 2014. So unexpected!<em>


End file.
